WHAT IS INVOLVED IN AN ACL TEAR?
The anterior cruciate ligament is one of four ligaments in the knee joint that stabilizes the knee throughout its full range of motion. The ACL’s specific function is to keep the knee from bending forward and from rotating. It is used in pivoting maneuvers — for example, when running or quickly moving laterally. The ligament is directly behind the patella (kneecap), in the center of the knee. The ACL can be injured in many ways, the most common being a combination of bending the knee and forced rotation of the lower leg. Also common is force applied to the outside of the leg pushing inward, as often happens during a clipping injury.
