The greatest number of ACL injuries occur in July & August. It is obvious that this is the time that football and other contact sports begin, so the chances of injury are greater.
An ACL tear is usually a season ending injury. It accounts for 2% of all NFL injuries , with 20% involving special teams. There is no difference if the field is grass or artificial turf.
Lets look at the knee joint and try to understand why this injury occurs.
There are four major ligaments around the knee joint. These ligaments are designed to stabilize the knee and to control functional range of motion. The ligaments on each side of the knee are referred to as collateral ligaments. The medial collateral is located along the inside of the knee (medial is a reference to the midline of the body). The lateral collateral ligament is located along the outside of the knee. Most football players suffer from medial collateral ligament tears, due to side impact collisions with another player, resulting in stretching or tearing of this ligament.
Right in the middle of the knee there's two ligaments that hold the whole joint together. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) & the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The ACL is the more important of the two in reference to football injuries. If you tear the ACL completely, your knee is completely unstable and you risk further injury if not attended to.
When the ACL is torn, about 40% of the athletes will usually hear a 'popping sound' and then experiences extreme pain and swelling. One study of college students reported that a college football player has a 16% chance of ACL injury. Almost 50% of athletes who suffer an ACL injury will also have an injury to the meniscus (shock absorbing cartilage in the knee). ACL injuries usually mean players are out for the season. The treatment usually depends on the type of injury, but almost all players will have to go through some type of rehabilitation or even surgery.
A post-operative knee brace or knee immobilizer is sometimes used following injury or surgery.
These braces have adjustable hinges on the side to control range of motion during the healing stages. In many instances, a player will wear a metal or carbon fiber brace after healing, to provide additional support and protection, and prevent recurrence.
Athletes who suffer ACL injuries must seek out medical attention and receive proper treatment to avoid further injury and increased risk of arthritis in the knee joint.
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