Anterior cruciate ligament tears occur more commonly in female soccer and basketball players than in their male counterparts. The reasons for this remain unclear.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important stabilizing ligament located in the center of the knee joint. When it is injured, a “pop” is often felt and a “giving way” episode occurs. If an athlete continues to play with an injured ACL, repeated giving way episodes can occur during activities that involve jumping, landing, cutting and pivoting. During these episodes the knee bones actually “slip” on one another producing pain, possible injury to other parts of the knee joint, and impaired athletic performance.

The good news is that there is an effective treatment for ACL tears. This treatment involves surgically rebuilding the ligament to restore a stable knee. Once the surgery is completed, intensive rehabilitation begins with the goals of restoring motion, muscle control, strength and sport-specific skills. For greatest success, a team consisting of a motivated patient, surgeon, physical therapist, and athletic trainer work together from the time of injury, until the athlete returns to sports.