Skip to content
WebMD: Better Information. Better Health.
Other search tools:Symptoms|Doctors|Videos

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries

Font Size
A
A
A

What Increases Your Risk

Factors that increase your risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries include:

  • Playing sports that involve sudden changes in direction or cutting around other players or obstacles, such as skiing, football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and tennis.
  • Making accidental movements that may twist your knee, such as falling off a ladder, jumping from an extreme height, stepping into a hole, or missing a step on a staircase.
  • Losing muscle tone in legs (from aging or inactivity).
  • Having unbalanced leg muscle strength, such as if the muscles in the front of your thigh (quadriceps) are stronger than the muscles at the back of your thigh (hamstrings).
  • Previous ACL injuries, especially if your knee sometimes gives out or buckles (chronic ACL deficiency).

Women have more ACL injuries than men. In sports, women injure their ACL up to 8 times as often as men. There are several theories for the increased incidence in women athletes, including differences in men's and women's bodies and how they use muscles, and training that does not help make up for these differences.2, 3

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: May 16, 2008
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
Next Article:
webMD Video

Show or hide information about video: Boosting Your Breasts Without Implants   Boosting Your Breasts Without Implants

48x48_boosting_your_breasts_without_implants.jpg

A breakthrough procedure gives women who want bigger breasts, but don’t like the idea of implant surgery, a new option.

Watch Video: Boosting Your Breasts Without Implants (opens in a new window)

Show or hide information about video: Dirty Truth About Hand Washing   Dirty Truth About Hand Washing

Show or hide information about video: Too Busy To Exercise?   Too Busy To Exercise?

Show or hide information about video: Boost Your Immune System   Boost Your Immune System

Show or hide information about video: What's Your Sleep Personality?   What's Your Sleep Personality?