What is the function of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)?
The ACL is the most important structure in the knee for providing stability during sporting activities which involve changing of direction while moving at speed (including football, tennis, skiing). If the knee is unstable, cartilage wear & tear occurs at a much faster rate than normal which leads to arthritis of the knee joint. An ACL tear is one of the commonest serious injuries in sport – for example, in the AFL, 12% of all matches missed due to injury are from ACL tears.