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BOB CONDOR

September 7, 2008

There is plenty to debate about how young is too young for organized sports. But if first- or second-grade girls are playing soccer this fall, then David Andrews isn't afraid to suggest there are specific drills or exercises that can protect those female knees.

It's not that Andrews is pushing girls to become elite athletes, even if he did just return from being the head trainer for the U.S. men's soccer team at the Olympics in Beijing. Andrews, who is with the Northwest Sports Physical Therapy group with offices in Tacoma and Gig Harbor, wants to teach young female athletes the best way to move in their sports.

His primary goal is to prevent the torn knee ligaments that are documented to be all too common as girls become high school and colleges players in soccer, volleyball and basketball among other sports. Studies show adolescent females are about eight times more likely than teen boys to tear the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL most central to a knee's health and stability. A significant amount of the research has been conducted at the University of North Carolina, Duke and the University of Washington.

"What we need to do is instill healthy habitual movement at younger ages," said Andrews. "If girls are playing in (under-8 soccer), it's a good time to coach the right biomechanics. If a girl doesn't play until she is a bit older, we can teach it then, too."

Less ideal is trying to reteach girls about knee-protective movements if they already are active participants in sports but without the right sort of dynamic training and strengthening.

"We like to say it takes about a thousand repetitions to change a bad habit or, in this case, habitual movement," said Andrews.

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