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Dr. Sanjay Barik

Knee & Shoulder Surgeon

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Dr. Sanjay Barik

Knee & Shoulder Surgeon

Acl ligament

What is Acl ligament

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a crucial ligament that stabilizes the knee joint. It links the thighbone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia). 

The ACL helps control the back-and-forth motion of the knee and prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur. Injuries to the ACL, such as tears, often occur during activities that involve sudden stops, jumps, or changes in direction, which are common in sports like basketball, soccer, tennis, and volleyball.

Causes of ACL LIGAMENT

An ACL injury can occur due to several reasons:

  • Taking a hard hit to the side of your knee, such as during a football tackle
  • Overextending your knee joint
  • Quickly stopping and changing direction while running, landing from a jump, or turning

Sports like basketball, football, soccer, and skiing are commonly associated with ACL tears. These injuries often occur alongside other injuries, such as tears to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the meniscus, the shock-absorbing cartilage in the knee.

Most ACL tears happen in the middle of the ligament or result in the ligament being pulled off the thigh bone. These injuries create a gap between the torn edges and do not heal on their own.

Symptoms of Acl ligament

Early symptoms of an ACL injury include:

  • A “popping” sound at the moment of injury
  • Noticeable knee swelling within six hours of the injury
  • Pain, particularly when trying to bear weight on the injured leg
  • Difficulty continuing with your sport
  • A sensation of instability

In cases of mild injury, the knee may feel unstable or seem to “give way” when in use.

First Aid

Your provider may recommend an MRI of the knee to confirm the diagnosis and check for other knee injuries. First aid for an ACL injury may include:
  • Elevating your leg above heart level
  • Applying ice to the knee
  • Taking pain relievers, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen
Additional treatments you may need include:
  • Crutches to walk until the swelling and pain subside
  • A brace to stabilize your knee
  • Physical therapy to improve joint motion and leg strength
  • Surgery to reconstruct the ACL
Some individuals can live and function with a torn ACL, but most find their knee becomes unstable and may “give out” during physical activity. An unstable knee following an ACL tear can lead to further knee damage and decrease the likelihood of returning to the same level of sports performance without the ACL.

Prevention

Use proper techniques when playing sports or exercising. Some college sports programs educate athletes on how to minimize stress on the ACL through specific warm-up exercises and jumping drills. These jumping and landing exercises have been demonstrated to reduce the incidence of ACL injuries.

The use of knee braces during intense athletic activities, such as football, is controversial. While knee braces have not been proven to reduce the overall number of knee injuries, their effectiveness in preventing ACL injuries specifically remains unsubstantiated.