ACL Injury Risk Factors: The unmodifiableĪCL tears are more common in females (between 2.4 and 9.7 times) due to biomechanical differences – namely the inward angle and rotation of female’s hips and their higher ligament laxity. The why can be split into two factors: controllable risk factors and unmodifiable risk factors. Why do ACL injuries occur?Īs the frequency of ACL tears progressively increases as the years go by, we are learning more about why they happen. There are of course other scenarios in which the ACL can tear, such as a direct contact blow to the knee by an opposing player or object (Particularly when the leg is planted, and the foot is stuck in the ground).
These sudden actions cause significant inward rotation of the knee and can lead to the ligament failing and rupturing. This can occur with a cut-and-plant movement, with a sudden change of direction and where the heel is rapidly planted into the ground. The most common scenario is a non-contact ACL tear, where the athlete attempts to transfer too much rotational force through the knee. Non-contact which contributes to about 70% of injuries.Direct contact which contributes to approximately 30% of injuries, and.There are two types of mechanisms of injury:
#Where is acl full#
The most common injury to the ACL ligament is unfortunately a full rupture, which may or may not require surgery. ACL Injury Causes: Direct and Indirect Contact Many other structures in the knee can also be injured at the same time as an ACL tear.Ī common presentation is an ACL tear which also features bone bruising, a sprain to the medial collateral ligament (MCL or inner knee ligament), and meniscus tear/s. However, non-contact injuries to the ACL are actually far more common. The ACL is often injured in field-based sports which require very quick jumping, twisting and pivoting such as: AFL, basketball, rugby, soccer, netball and downhill skiing.ĪCL injuries can range in severity – from a stretched ligament (grade 1 sprain) to a full tear or rupture of the tissue (grade 3 sprain).Īn ACL injury can be caused by direct contact, for example a collision with an opposing player. It’s this angle and positioning of the ligament that prevents inward rotation of the knee. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a band of dense tissue, known as a ligament, which connects the shin bone to the thigh bone on an inward angle. He’s put together this blog which outlines a bit more about the what, the why and the how of ACL tears.
One of our qualified Inline Physio clinicians, Jacob Hurley, has had plenty of experience with this kind of injury, unfortunately experiencing three (3) ACL ruptures in his lifetime. Tearing or spraining your ACL can be excruciating and debilitating, and the recovery from ACL tears can take months and may even require surgery.