� The
Sports Doctor�
Getting a Knee Up on
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
P
rofessional and college sports may finally be getting up to full speed, and with that comes an increase in sports injuries. One of the most common injuries in both contact and non-contact sports is a tear of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). Listed here are ten not the most frequently asked questions about the ACL.
１
What is the anterior cruciate ligament?
２
Is this the same as a torn cartilage?
３
How is the ACL usually injured?
Ligaments connect one bone to another. The ACL sits in the center of the knee just in front (anterior) of the PCL and connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone). When you plant your foot and rotate your trunk, your ACL causes your body to stop as your weight shifts. In most people, if your ACL does not function, your knee will “give way” and you will fall down.
The answer is no. In the knee there are two types of cartilage: the articular cartilage and the menisci. The articular cartilage is the Teflon coating on the end of the bones that keeps them gliding and the menisci are the shock absorbers. The ligaments – there are four including the ACL – act more like seat belts. Even though these are all separate structures, they are often injured at the same time.
Typically, the ACL is torn in two ways – through contact and non-contact injuries. Contact injuries occur in sports such as football, and surprisingly are not as common as in non-contact injuries that occur in sports such as basketball or soccer. Both contact and non-contact injuries occur when the knee is twisted or bent on a fixed foot. A “pop” and immediate swelling often accompany the injury. Usually, the athlete cannot continue to play after an acute ACL injury. Non-contact ACL
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