TITLE:
Neuromuscular Training Outcomes of an ACL Injury Prevention Program for Rural Adolescent Female Athletes
AUTHORS:
Terry DeWitt, Mayrena Hernandez, Kelsey E. Brewington, Amber Chelette
KEYWORDS:
ACL, Intervention, Rural Health, Neuromuscular Training
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation,
Vol.14 No.3,
June
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: Purpose: There is considerable evidence that young females are at an increased risk for incurring an ACL injury. Additionally, patients in rural areas experience disparities in access to health care and worse post-operative outcomes after ACL reconstruction compared with their suburban counterparts. Evidence suggests that neuromuscular training (NMT) is an effective means of reducing ACL injuries through improvements in rate of force development, neuromuscular activation, and force absorption during landing tasks. Limited research exists examining the feasibility and outcomes of NMT programs in rural adolescent populations. The purpose of this study was to examine jump performance outcomes of rural secondary school-aged females who participated in the ACL Strong? injury prevention program. Method: Twenty female basketball athletes attending a rural secondary school participated in this quasi-experimental study. All participants were provided access to the ACL Strong program on their mobile devices. Before and after the intervention, Kinvent Delta Force Plates? were used to measure jump height and impulse during a vertical jump task. Paired-samples t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-intervention outcomes. Results: Paired samples t-tests revealed a significant increase in jump height from pre-test to post-test (p = 0.002). There was also a significant improvement from pre-test to post-test impulse deficit between limbs (p Conclusions: Participation in a six-week neuromuscular training program resulted in significant improvements in jump performance and limb symmetry among rural adolescent female athletes. These findings support the implementation of a mobile app ACL injury prevention programs in a rural school setting.