The NCAA is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the Santa Monica Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Research Foundation, and the International Federation of Football Associations to conduct a study of an alternative warm-up program to prevent knee injuries to women's soccer players.

Results of the study will provide key information for coaches and athletic trainers working to limit the number of such injuries. This will be the first large-scale study of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention in collegiate female athletes.

The study will follow NCAA Division I women's soccer teams during their fall 2002 season and will compare injury rates between control teams (teams using any warm-up they choose) and intervention teams (teams using the alternative warm-up program). Participating teams will be randomly assigned to their group. Teams assigned to the intervention group will be asked to use the on-field, 20- to 25-minute warm-up at the beginning of practice at least three times per week. Athletic trainers for teams in both groups will be asked to complete a brief weekly report on athlete participation and any knee or ankle injuries.

The program and its reporting methods were piloted by a small group of NCAA Division I women's soccer teams in fall 2001 with promising results.

Advantages to teams participating in the study program include the following:

Exposure to a sport-specific, specially designed alternative warm-up program. (Intervention teams will receive the program at the beginning of their fall season; control teams will receive the program at the study's close in December.)

An honorarium for all trainers who successfully complete the study's reporting requirements.

The chance to contribute to science-based ACL injury prevention.

Those interested in participating in the study may contact Heidi Melancon, project manager, at 770/488-4901 or hmelancon
@cdc.gov.