Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament – (ACL)

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament in one of the critical ligaments of the knee joint. It is responsible for rotational stability. A tear of the ligament is often the result of a clipping injury in football or soccer or a twisting injury seen in skiing or other sports. It is accompanied by swelling which may occur relatively quickly after the injury and a giving way sensation of your knee; as if your knee won’t hold you up. Your diagnosis is often anticipated by the history and physical exam and may be confirmed by MRI.

Options following a torn ACL are based on the patient’s age and activity level. These may include rehabilitation and bracing or ACL reconstruction using either your own tissue or an Allograph (donor graph) and is usually either a hamstring tendon or a patella tendon, though there are other graph sources.