| The greatest number of ACL injuries occur in July | | | | the two in reference to football injuries. If you tear |
| & August. It is obvious that this is the time that | | | | the ACL completely, your knee is completely unstable |
| football and other contact sports begin, so the | | | | and you risk further injury if not attended to. |
| chances of injury are greater. | | | | When the ACL is torn, about 40% of the athletes |
| An ACL tear is usually a season ending injury. It | | | | will usually hear a 'popping sound' and then |
| accounts for 2% of all NFL injuries , with 20% | | | | experiences extreme pain and swelling. One study of |
| involving special teams. There is no difference if the | | | | college students reported that a college football |
| field is grass or artificial turf. | | | | player has a 16% chance of ACL injury. Almost 50% |
| Lets look at the knee joint and try to understand | | | | of athletes who suffer an ACL injury will also have an |
| why this injury occurs. | | | | injury to the meniscus (shock absorbing cartilage in |
| There are four major ligaments around the knee | | | | the knee). ACL injuries usually mean players are out |
| joint. These ligaments are designed to stabilize the | | | | for the season. The treatment usually depends on |
| knee and to control functional range of motion. The | | | | the type of injury, but almost all players will have to |
| ligaments on each side of the knee are referred to | | | | go through some type of rehabilitation or even |
| as collateral ligaments. The medial collateral is located | | | | surgery. |
| along the inside of the knee (medial is a reference to | | | | A post-operative knee brace or knee immobilizer is |
| the midline of the body). The lateral collateral ligament | | | | sometimes used following injury or surgery. |
| is located along the outside of the knee. Most | | | | These braces have adjustable hinges on the side to |
| football players suffer from medial collateral ligament | | | | control range of motion during the healing stages. In |
| tears, due to side impact collisions with another | | | | many instances, a player will wear a metal or carbon |
| player, resulting in stretching or tearing of this | | | | fiber brace after healing, to provide additional support |
| ligament. | | | | and protection, and prevent recurrence. |
| Right in the middle of the knee there's two ligaments | | | | Athletes who suffer ACL injuries must seek out |
| that hold the whole joint together. The anterior | | | | medical attention and receive proper treatment to |
| cruciate ligament (ACL) & the posterior cruciate | | | | avoid further injury and increased risk of arthritis in |
| ligament (PCL). The ACL is the more important of | | | | the knee joint. |