This question regarding ACL injuries is one that I am very familiar with. I have had seven total knee surgeries and a total of 4 ACL reconstructions, 3 of which were done on the same knee. Each ACL tear was a result of a non-contact injury that involed abrupt starting and stopping during basketball or softball. With the help of my team, we will investiage the functions of the ACL, treatment options and why I may have suffered these injuries as a young female athlete.
The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, prevents forward movement of the tibia, off of the femur. The ACL also prevents hyperextension of the knee, hence it allows for the knee joint to be stable and allows for dynamic motion.
For those who suffer an ACL injury and do not have hopes to continue competing in athletics at a high level, the non-surgery option is available for treatment. The patient will need to endevour many hours of physical therapy and rehabilitation and wear a hinged brace. With rehab and physical therapy, the patient will feel almost back to their pre-injury self, but they are very suseptible for a re-tear. Many
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In women, the intercondylar notch which is the groove in the femur where the ACL lies, and the ACL itself are smaller which make it more likley to tear. Another possible reason that ACL tears are more comming in females than males is that they have a wider pelvis which causes more pressure on the medial part of the knee resulting in an ACL tear. Some researchers believe that the inward alignment of women 's knees cause them to be predisposed to ACL tears. As a female athlete, it is difficult to admit, but some researchers believe that one cause of the high rate of female ACL tears is that they have slower reaction times than males. Recent studies have also been done that show females could possibly be more susceptible to ACL tears during a certain period of the menstrual