Adam Petway on the Mechanisms Behind ACL and Achilles Tears

It’s estimated that somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 people tear their ACL every year. And while Achilles tears aren’t anywhere near that level, it’s obvious that the numbers for this injury are on the rise as well. In a best case scenario, with an ACL or Achilles tear you’re looking at a grueling 9, 12 or even as long as 18 month rehab process. And in a worst case scenario? It could be career ending. That’s why I wanted Adam Petway to come on the podcast. Adam has spent hundreds of hours watching game film and diving deep into the mechanisms behind both ACL and Achilles tears, and what he’s found is pretty darn cool. For instance, did you know there’s one specific pattern you see in basically every Achilles tear? And while not quite as predictable, he’s figured out the 3 primary scenarios when athletes tear their ACL’s as well. So in this podcast, we talk about HOW these injuries occur, as well as strategies to prevent them.   Older athletes are more at risk than younger athletes (for an Achilles tear). The average age of an NBA athlete is 24 years old, but the average age of an NBA athlete that ruptures their Achilles tendon is 29.3 – so we found older athletes are more predisposed. – Adam Petway   This Week on the Physical Preparation Podcast: How Adam went from BASKETBALL coach to basketball STRENGTH COACH How he got started researching and breaking down ACL and Achilles tears The biomechanical components and movement strategies you repeatedly see when someone tears an Achilles in basketball. Potential co-factors seen when an athletes suffers an Achilles tear. Training strategies you can implement to help keep your athletes’ Achilles healthy! The 3 common movement strategies seen when someone tears an ACL. What a “cast” and “pro-hop” are – and how to coach/train them more effectively. Other potential risk factors you might see in an athletes who tears an ACL, including style of play and instability in readiness scores. What Adam would put into his “ACL Tear Reduction” program.   Connect with Adam: Adam on Instagram Adam on LinkedIn Basketball Mechanics Book   Supercharge Your Decision-Making and Program Design with Hawkin Dynamics Force Plates! Force plates are in no way, shape or form new technology, but Hawkin Dynamics has brought them to the 21st century. Hawkin Dynamics plates are wireless which makes them portable and easy to set-up and use. You’ll have the ability to performance test your athletes in a matter of seconds, and give them immediate feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. Their software interface is clean, intuitive and easy on the eye, so both you and your athletes can visualize what’s going on and how to improve their performance. And last but not least, dual force plates allow you to see side-to-side asymmetries, especially in athletes who are in the return to play process. With options to lease or buy, coupled with a 5-year warranty, Hawkin Dynamics force plates can take your performance facility to the next level. To learn more, head over to HawkinDynamics.com o