An Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury is a sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
An Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury is a sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It is one of the major ligaments in your knee. Most commonly ACL injuries occur during sports that involve sudden stops or changes in direction, jumping and landing — such as football, basketball and downhill skiing. Many people usually hear or feel a pain in the knee when an ACL injury occurs. Your knee may also swell, feel unstable and become too painful to bear any kind of weight.
Signs and symptoms of an ACL injury usually include:
- A loud pop or a pain sensation in the knee
- Severe pain and inability to continue activity
- Rapid swelling
- Loss of range of motion
- A feeling of instability or "giving way" with weight bearing
