An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is an injury of the knee joint, and it usually happens while playing sports. 5 Causes of Torn or Fractured ACL 1. Another possible cause is the greater Q angle, or the angle between the quadriceps and the patella tendon, in women. They found that 50 percent of the study participants had developed knee osteoarthritis that caused pain and dysfunction, and that knee injury survivors make up a substantial percent of the osteoarthritis population. In this manner, they most often occur during the ground reaction phase of jumping and landing tasks, rapid change of direction movements, and single leg bounding activities. The mechanism is often an extreme internal rotation of the knee or hyperextension with quick changes in direction that causes increased strain on the ligament. A high-impact sport is any sport that involves intense movement with weight-bearing joints, such as the knees and hips. Common Causes of ACL Injuries. The ACL is typically injured with no contact to the actual knee itself. ACL injury is common in athletes that participate in high impact sports such as soccer, tennis, skiing, basketball, and football and can occur through physical and non-physical contact. While ACL injuries can occur in response to a contact injury, they are most often non-contact in nature. A larger angle is partly caused by a woman’s wider pelvis. Causes of ACL Injury ACL injuries can be caused by contact or non-contact mechanisms . Keywords: Anterior Cruciate Ligament, ACL tears, tear causes, ACL injury, prevention . Participating in High-Impact Sports. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would not have been possible without the help and support of many people in my life. Non-contact injuries account for 80% of all anterior cruciate ligament injuries and are caused by: https://www.txorthopaedic.com/blog/common-causes-of-an-acl-injury when wearing studs/cleats. I would like to thank Dr. Neelly and Dr. Hoover for their What Causes an ACL Knee Injury? A more recent study by Lohmander et al. This tight fit may cause increased friction between the ACL and femur during knee movements. Also known as a “complete tear”, a Grade III occurs when the ligament is fully severed giving way to an extremely unstable knee. It causes leg pain and instability of the knee. Twisting of the knee can lead to an ACL tear too. Falling off a ladder, missing a stair step, or other type of fall or accident can result in a torn ACL. ACL injuries are very common in athletes but in rare cases, non-athletes can also sustain an ACL tear. ACL tears are often seen in high-profile athletes such as football player Tom Brady, … ACL Injury Causes. Non-Contact Injuries. This is why there is term turf monster. This increases the risk for greater stress and ACL injuries. What causes ACL injuries? iii Dedicated to my friends and family . Causes of Torn ACL or Anterior Cruciate Ligament Sports, such as skiing, football, basketball, hockey, or squash are a frequent cause of injury to the ACL or Anterior Cruciate Ligament. An ACL knee injury can occur either when there is direct contact with the knee or from an awkward movement, usually when the foot is fixed to the ground e.g. A blow to the outer side of the knee is the most common contact mechanism leading to injury not only to the ACL but also to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and medial meniscus of the knee (also known as the “ unhappy triad ” or “Blown knee”). Physical contact While sports injuries are the most common, they are not the only cause of ACL tears. Football, basketball and soccer are all examples of high-impact sports where athletes run continuously. While the ACL is most often torn by a twisting motion, the PCL is most often torn by an impact, such as a car accident or a tackle on the football field. (2020) surveyed patients with old ACL and meniscus injuries,10 to 20 years afterward. As mentioned before, this is the most common type of ACL injury. ACL injuries are often the result of a sudden change in direction, pivoting, sudden stopping, or jumping.