

Not all ACL injuries require surgery, but some do. It can be injured when a person changes direction suddenly, stops suddenly, lands badly from a jump, as a person slows down from a run, or due to direct contact. The ACL is in the middle of the knee and gives it stability during rotations.


The front of the X is the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior ligament is the back of X. The collateral ligaments are on the sides of the knee, while the cruciate ligaments form an “X” inside the joint. Three bones, the thigh bone, shin bone, and kneecap, form the knee joint and those bones are connected by collateral and cruciate ligaments. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common knee injuries, particularly in people who participate in sports such as soccer, basketball, and football.
