Training Blog · Injury prevention
ACL injury prevention for youth skiers and athletes.
The short answer
Kids as young as 9 can start ACL injury prevention training, and earlier is better. The programs that work teach soft landings, single-leg control, hamstring and hip strength, and trunk control, done two to three times a week as a short warm-up or training block. Supervised strength training is appropriate for kids when it is coached well and progressed slowly.
Why start young
Every winter I see the same thing. Kids from Reno and Truckee spend their weekends racing gates at Mt. Rose, Sugar Bowl, and Palisades, then roll straight into club soccer, basketball, or volleyball in the spring. They are cutting, landing, and changing direction almost year round. That is great for building athletes, but it means their knees get a lot of reps, and not all of them are good reps.
Most ACL tears in young athletes are non-contact. Nobody hits them. The knee collapses inward or the athlete lands stiff and upright, and the ligament takes a load it was never meant to handle alone. Movement habits like these are trainable, and the younger an athlete is when we start, the easier they are to change. A 10-year-old learns a new landing pattern in a few weeks. A 17-year-old has thousands of reps of the old pattern to unlearn.
Research on structured neuromuscular warm-up programs in youth sports has repeatedly shown lower rates of ACL injury in the athletes who do them consistently. The key word is consistently. A program done once a month does very little.
The four things we train
1. Landing and deceleration
We teach kids to land quietly, with hips back, knees bent, and knees tracking over the toes. Stopping is a skill, just like jumping. In skiing, the same pattern shows up when a young racer lands off a roller or absorbs terrain in the bumps.
2. Single-leg strength and balance
Skiing is a one-leg-at-a-time sport. So is cutting on a field. Step-downs, split squats, and single-leg balance teach the knee to stay lined up over the foot when only one leg is doing the work.
3. Hamstrings and hips
The hamstrings help resist the shin sliding forward, which is the direction that loads the ACL. The glutes help keep the knee from caving in. Kids often have strong quads from skiing and weak hamstrings and hips, and that imbalance is one we target early.
4. Trunk control
When the torso sways or leans to one side on a landing, the knee usually follows. Planks, side planks, and anti-rotation work give young athletes a stable base to move from.
A 15-minute routine for ages 9 and up
This is the kind of block we use with young athletes two to three times a week. It fits before practice or as part of a strength session. Quality comes first. If the form breaks down, stop the set.
- Jog, skips, and side shuffles: 2 minutes to warm up.
- Squat to box: 2 sets of 8, sitting the hips back and keeping the knees over the toes.
- Snap-down and stick: 2 sets of 5. Rise on the toes, drop quickly into a quiet athletic stance, and freeze for 2 seconds.
- Single-leg balance: 2 rounds of 20 seconds per leg. Progress to eyes closed or catching a ball.
- Lateral bound and stick: 2 sets of 4 per side. Jump sideways, land on one leg, and hold. This one looks a lot like a ski turn.
- Glute bridge or single-leg bridge: 2 sets of 10.
- Assisted Nordic hamstring curl: 2 sets of 3 to 5 slow lowers, with a partner holding the ankles and a band or hands to help.
- Front and side plank: 2 rounds of 20 to 30 seconds each.
As kids get stronger, we add load with goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, and split squats with dumbbells. For more on how this builds into a full winter plan, read our preseason ski conditioning guide.
Growth spurts, girls, and what parents should watch
Two groups need extra attention. The first is any athlete in a growth spurt. When the bones grow quickly, coordination often lags for a while. A kid who landed well last season may suddenly look loose and wobbly. That is normal, and it is the best time to keep reinforcing good mechanics rather than pulling back.
The second is girls around and after puberty. Research consistently finds that female athletes have a higher rate of non-contact ACL injury than male athletes in the same sports. That is not a reason to worry. It is a reason to start prevention training early and keep it going.
Things parents can watch for at home or on the hill:
- Knees that cave toward each other when your child lands from a jump or squats down.
- Stiff, loud landings with straight legs.
- Sitting in the back seat on skis late in the day, which often means tired legs.
- One leg that is clearly weaker or shakier on a single-leg balance.
None of these are a diagnosis. They are signs a coach should take a closer look. If your child has knee pain, swelling, or the knee gives way, see a physician or physical therapist first. Kime Performance Physical Therapy is in our building if you need a referral.
How we coach young athletes
At Performance EDU Fitness, our coaches hold the CSCS certification and work with skiers and multi-sport athletes from age 9 up. Every athlete starts with a movement evaluation. We look at landing mechanics, single-leg control, strength, and mobility, and each athlete gets a scorecard. We re-test every 8 to 12 weeks so parents and athletes can see what changed. Our strength and conditioning for skiers program builds on those results.
For adult skiers, the same principles apply. Read how skiers reduce knee injury risk. If an athlete has already torn an ACL, see our ACL rehab and return to sport strength training. Return-to-sport decisions always belong to the surgeon and physical therapist.
Quick answers
What age should kids start ACL injury prevention training?
Around age 9 is a good time to start with bodyweight landing, balance, and strength work. Habits are easier to build before the teenage years, so earlier is better than later.
Is strength training safe for kids?
Supervised, well-coached strength training is appropriate for kids. Major youth strength and conditioning organizations support it. The keys are good technique, sensible loads, and gradual progression.
How often should youth athletes do ACL prevention exercises?
Two to three times a week, all year. A 15-minute block before practice is enough when it is done consistently and with good form.
This article is general education, not medical advice. If your child has knee pain, swelling, or a past injury, talk to your physician or physical therapist before starting a new program.
See how your athlete moves before the season does.
A 60-minute movement evaluation ($125) checks landing, single-leg control, and strength, and gives your athlete a scorecard to build on. Performance EDU Fitness, 3000 Airway Drive Suite 175, Reno. Call (775) 300-3947.
Hours: Mon to Fri 5 AM to 6 PM, Sat 7 to 11 AM.
