The Dreaded ACL Injury
Everyone one has heard of one injury or another that afflict baseball players. But most
don’t really know what they actually are or where the in the body they are actually
located. After interviewing several Orthopedic Surgeons and discussions with other
professionals we are giving a simplistic overview on different types of “common”
injuries – their symptoms, causes, potential treatments and prevention to better
educate players, parents and coaches – in laymen’s terms. This is educational, not
intended to diagnose or give medical advice. Always seek medical attention and advice
from a qualified licensed physician.
First we have to know where the ACL
(anterior cruciate ligament) is
located, what it is and what its
function is to understand the injury.
ANATOMY 101
Three bones meet to form your knee
joint: your thighbone (femur),
shinbone (tibia), and kneecap
(patella).
Bones are connected to other bones
by ligaments. There are four main
ligaments in your knee. They act like
strong cables to hold the bones
together and keep your knee stable.
Collateral Ligaments
These are found on the sides of your
knee. The medial collateral ligament
is on the inside and the lateral collateral ligament is on the outside. They control the sideways
motion of your knee.
Cruciate Ligaments
These are found inside your knee. They cross each other to form an "X" with the ACL in front and
the PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) in back. Both ligaments control the back and forth motion of
your knee. Basically the ACL and PCL work together to stabilize the knee and helps provide the
hinge that allows the knee to remain stable while moving. The ACL’s exact purpose is to prevent