The anterior cruciate ligament(ACL), the ligament that connects the thigh bone to the shin, is the most commonly injured knee ligament. In fact, about 120,000 American athletes tear their ACL’s, and out of that group, up to 32% of them reinjure their ACL’s(uwhealth.org).
The ACL is one of the most important ligaments in the knee. It is a strong band of tissue that runs diagonally across the knee, and its main purpose is to prevent the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur. Additionally, the ACL allows pivoting, provides rotational support, knee joint stability, and allows side-to-side movement. An ACL can be torn by getting hit very hard on the side of the knee, overextending the knee, or quickly stopping and changing direction. For these reasons, ACL tears occur most commonly in basketball, football, and soccer. A total of 102 National Basketball Association(NBA) players have torn their ACL, and nine of those players tore their ACL more than once.
There are three types of ACL injuries classified as grades one, two, and three. A grade one ACL tear is the mildest ACL tear, and people who suffer this injury still have the ability to walk and maintain knee stability. A grade one ACL tear occurs when the knee is overstretched, not torn. In most cases, grade one ACL tears do not require surgery, and treatment includes icing the knee, compression of the knee, and elevation of the knee. A grade two ACL tear is a partial tear of the ACL ligament in which the ligament is stretched to the point that it loosens, causing instability and severe pain. Surgery is likely, however with proper physical therapy and treatment, a grade two ACL tear may take up to four months to heal. The most common tear, a grade three ACL tear, is a complete tear of the ACL ligament. A grade three ACL always requires surgery and can take up to 6 months to fully heal.
References
- uwhealth. “Preventing and Treating ACL Injuries Preventing and Treating ACL Injuries.” Preventing and Treating ACL Injuries | News | UW Health, 28 June 2018, www.uwhealth.org/news/preventing-and-treating-acl-injuries-in-adults.
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