When Matt Kenney tore his anterior cruciate ligament playing intramural basketball during his sophomore year, he didn’t know what he could have done to prevent it.

Kenney, an Olin Health Advocate, is trying to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.

He will be helping distribute pamphlets for students describing how to stay healthy while exercising. He hopes the pamphlets will be passed out to students in the fall in IM Sports-West, IM Sport-East and IM Sports-Circle.

“I know now that I could have easily prevented tearing my ligament,” Kenney said. “I was so out of shape, which is one of the things the pamphlets stress.

“At this time of year, it’s especially important to make people aware of injury because people have been sitting inside all winter and haven’t been exercising their muscles. They go out and give 150 percent at a sport and their bodies aren’t ready for it.”

Olin Health Educator Jon Kermiet said a lot of injuries take place at the IM buildings because many students don’t train adequately before participating in activities.

“Many times people don’t stretch before they play sports and this leads to injuries,” Kermiet said. “I think there’s always a need to remind people about safety. With the weather changing, it takes three weeks for the body to get used to warmer weather and heat. A lot of students go out and do too much too quickly.”

Linsey Gleason, a finance and economics sophomore, took advantage of warm weather last week by playing Frisbee and running outside. She stretches before she runs and said she could benefit from reading a pamphlet about stretching and exercise safety.

“I think it’s important to make people aware of some injuries that can happen,” Gleason said. “It seems like there’s always some new study coming out telling you which stretches are good and which are bad, so it’s good to get the information out there.”