ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY

Of all the possible types of knee injuries for active people, an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common. At MOTUS, we often see injuries to the ACL with athletes of sports like basketball, football, soccer, gymnastics, and anything that involves lots of pivoting, jumping, or decelerating. An ACL injury can be as minor as a small tear or sprain, but it may also be severe enough to completely tear the ligament. Roughly 75% of ACL injuries occur from non-contact situations. Training for prevention is essential to preventing injury and re-injury.

The ACL is a key part of the knee joint. The thick ligament stretches between the femur and the tibia. It helps to stabilize rotation and prevent hyperextension of the knee. If the motions of movements like decelerating and pivoting are done incorrectly it can cause excessive rotation or extension and lead to damage of the ACL. Unlike most sports-related injuries, an ACL injury usually occurs from an incorrect movement within the athlete, as opposed to occurring from an external force.

Female athletes should be especially careful to learn prevention and treatment methods for ACL injuries, as they are three times more prone compared to their male counterparts There are other risk factors to look for as well, both external and internal. Both footwear and the playing surface play a big part in the external risk for an ACL injury. For instance, lots of friction between the feet and the ground can make it more likely to sprain the ACL.