The Coronado Patch reports:
If you are involved in sports at all you probably know someone or you yourself have experienced an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear.
The ACL is a stabilizing ligament in the knee and when a person
experiences a tear in the ACL the knee can become unstable. Sufferers
report feeling like their knee is going to give out on them.
What causes the ACL to tear?
The ACL can tear because of a sport injury, car accident, rough play or fall. Interestingly, about 70 percent of sports-related ACL injuries are non-contact.
I would have assumed that contact sports like football and rugby would
account for a higher percentage of ACL tears, but that is not the case.
Most sport ACL tears occur from pivoting and landing after jumping.
The ACL can also tear when the foot is planted on the ground and the
person changes direction or is hit by an opposing force. Sports like
soccer, football, basketball, and skiing are likely to see more ACL
injuries. However, Tiger Woods,
a PGA golfer, suffered an ACL tear and following the conclusion of the
U.S. Open, he missed the remainder of the 2008 season to properly
rehabilitate his knee.
Why are women more likely to tear their ACL than men?
While everyone is vulnerable to an ACL injury, statistically women are more likely to suffer a tear than men. Dr. Sharon Hame,
associate professor in orthopedic surgery at UCLA, explains possible
reasons why women experience more ACL injuries than men. First, women
have smaller bones and ligaments, Hame told the Daily Bruin,
which make them more prone to injury. Second, some research indicates
that a change in hormone level during menstruation could impact the way a
woman responds during physical activity.
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