Tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) most commonly occurs during sports. The ligament is a strong bundle of connective tissue fibers and it adheres from bone to bone.
The anterior cruciate ligament offers great knee stability while preventing and stabilizing movements, such as excessive knee rotation, excessive knee stretching (overextension) and anterior shifting of the tibia in relation to the thigh.
When the above moves are made at a great force and to a great extent that it exceeds the forces of the anterior cruciate, then, there is a tear of the muscle fibers of the ligament, thus a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament.
The tear of the anterior cruciate is usually accompanied by some injuries of other knee elements, such as meniscus or collateral ligaments damage.
When someone breaks a cruciate ligament, at the time of the injury they feel – hear a crack in the knee. Generally, the main symptoms are knee instability, swelling in the area and pain.