#bitesize

What really causes ACL injuries—and what are coaches still getting wrong? In this insightful interview with Sophia Nimphius, we explore non-contact ACL injuries, the complex role of fatigue, and how movement screening through gameplay can reveal more than rigid tests. Learn how to retrain inefficient patterns, why some coaching cues can backfire, and what today’s tech still can’t measure when it comes to joint strain. If you're a sport scientist, S&C coach, or rehab pro—this one’s for you.

Highlights from the episode:

✅00:00 Non-contact ACL risks in modern sport
✅01:23 Fatigue myths and movement variability
✅02:24 Real-world athlete screening strategies
✅03:49 Retraining vs. reprogramming: What matters most
✅04:55 Tech limitations in monitoring ACL strain


✅ ACL injuries often happen during side-stepping, decelerating, or landing with an extended knee, regardless of the sport.

✅ Defensive duels in sports like soccer and AFL are especially risky due to sudden decisions and awkward knee postures under pressure.

✅ Fatigue increases injury risk by causing athletes to adopt riskier postures; movement variability under fatigue can help reduce this risk.

✅ Moving in ways that athletes haven’t practiced or conditioned can stress tissues and lead to injury, especially under fatigue.

✅ Sophia Nimphius prefers observing athletes in their sport to identify movement tendencies, rather than relying solely on formal tests.

✅ She uses drills with built-in constraints to test whether athletes avoid certain movements because of habit or actual limitations.

✅ Changing a movement pattern is only worthwhile if it significantly reduces injury risk or improves performance — otherwise, it's not a good use of time.

✅ Athlete buy-in and motivation are essential when attempting to change inefficient but non-risky patterns.

✅ Current technology cannot yet monitor ACL strain accurately in real time, though emerging MRI techniques show future potential.


Listen Now & Subscribe!

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube
📲 Follow us on Instagram: @preparelikeapro
💡 Learn more at preparelikeapro.com

Enjoy the episode and keep striving for high performance!

Do you have feedback on the show? We would love to hear from you. Send us your feedback and tell us what you love and what you think could be better. And if you’re enjoying the show, please leave us a review.

Feedback: https://preparelikeapro.com/contact/
Review: https://link.chtbl.com/PLPlivechats/