#KneeKnack Part 3: Understanding Knees – Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury

Part three of the recurring #KneeKnack series with Dr Claire Minshull turns to anterior cruciate ligament injury, explaining that the ACL stops the tibia sliding forward and rotating relative to the femur and is vital to knee stability. ACL injuries account for nearly half of all knee ligament injuries, and women are at two to five times greater risk than men. The classic mechanism is a sudden twist on a weight-bearing, nearly straight knee while decelerating, and over 70 per cent occur in non-contact situations in less time than it takes to blink. Minshull describes the audible pop, immediate swelling, and instability rather than pain as the main symptom. Treatment may be conservative but usually requires reconstruction using a hamstring or patella tendon graft, followed by rehabilitation of six to twelve months, with end-stage work on proprioception, rapid muscular activation, strength and power.