Where is the acl located
Downhill skiing is another frequent source of injury, especially since the introduction of ski boots that come higher up the calf. Football combines the activity of planting the foot and rapidly changing direction and the threat of bodily contact. For example, a blow to the outside of the knee when the foot is planted is the most likely contact-related injury.įootball is also frequently the source of an ACL tear. However, contact-related injuries can result in ACL tears. In this way, most ACL injuries are considered noncontact. Those sports requiring the foot to be planted and the body to change direction rapidly (such as basketball) carry a high incidence of injury. The types of sports that have been associated with ACL tears are numerous. Sports-related injuries are the most common. The mechanism of injury for many ACL ruptures is a sudden deceleration (slowing down or stop), hyperextension, or pivoting in place. Related Document: FYZICAL Windber's Guide to Knee Anatomy It is not uncommon to also see a tear of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) on the inside edge of the knee, and the lateral meniscus, which is the U-shaped cushion between the outer half of the tibia and femur bones. Other parts of the knee may be injured when the knee is twisted violently, as in a clipping injury in football. If the knee is forced past this point, or hyperextended, the ACL can also be torn. The ACL is also the first ligament that becomes tight when the knee is straightened. If the tibia moves too far, the ACL can rupture. This is called anterior translation of the tibia. The ACL is the main controller of how far forward the tibia moves under the femur. The ACL runs through a special notch in the femur called the intercondylar notch and attaches to a special area of the tibia called the tibial spine. The ACL is located in the center of the knee joint where it runs from the backside of the femur (thighbone) to connect to the front of the tibia (shinbone). Ligaments are tough bands of tissue that connect the ends of bones together.