One of the most injury-prone areas in the body is the knee and commonly occur at the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This is due to the combination of limited range of motion, heavy load it carries, and the torque generated by the two lever-like bones.[1] Injuries are classified into three grades, where Grade 1 sprain is a slight stretch of the ACL and Grade 3 Sprain is a completely torn ACL.[2] We will focus on Grade 3 Sprains because they are more serious and require more extensive treatments. ACL tears occur when the ligament exceeds its biomechanical limits, often with a hyperextension mechanism. Signs and symptoms of an ACL tear involve a “pop” during a twisting movement or rapid deceleration …show more content…
Every year there is an estimated ACL rupture of one in 3000 Americans and approximately 95,000 new injuries each year. [5] Female athletes are more susceptible to torn ACLs and have a 3 times greater incidence rate in sports like soccer and basketball. However lacrosse players and Alpine skiers were not bias in gender ACL rupture rates. [6] An explanation of increased female incidence could be from hormonal factors that generally affect the integrity of connective tissue, which include fibroblast proliferation, ligamentous laxity, and collagen synthesis in the ACL.[7] Other factors include less muscle strength, different muscle activation patterns, and altered cutting/landing patterns.[8] Aside from gender influence, environmental factors include playing field/turf conditions, the athletic shoe (cleats), playing style (coaching/training), and lower extremity braces. …show more content…
Tension patterns vary throughout a full rand of motion. This is due to the anteromedial (AM) and posterolateral (PL) bundles (shown in Fig X) , which play key roles in knee movement. During extension, the AM becomes loose while the PL becomes tight and during flexion, the AM tightens while the PL loosens. For example, in response to a 134 N anterior tibial load, PL bundle forces are much greater in lower flexion degrees than AM bundle. Below 20o flexion, PL bundle had higher strain than the AM.[16] Mechanical properties of the ACL can be represented by the femur-ACL-tibia complex (FATC). Typically for people ages 22-35, the FATC had a linear stiffness of 242+28 N/m and an ultimate load of 2160+157 N.[18] However the structural and mechanical properties tend to deteriorate with