Cross-professional differences in real-time assessment of ACL injury risk

Simple visual inspection of movement is a potentially low cost method for anterior
cruciate ligament (ACL) injury screening and prevention. Although many
professionals, athletes, and coaches utilize some form of visual inspection of
movement/injury risk, there is currently no substantial data on group skill differences.
Sports medicine professionals, exercise science students/academics, and strength
and conditioning coaches exhibited consistently superior ACL injury risk estimation
skill compared to sport coaches, parents of athletes and the general public (about 2
standard deviations). In addition, many individuals’ visual risk assessment accuracy
was similar to or exceeded clinical instrument-based biomechanical assessment
methods (i.e., ACL nomogram). Perceptual-cognitive mechanisms are discussed.