Acl connects which bones

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The four main ligaments in the knee connect the femur thighbone to the tibia shin bone , and include the following: Anterior cruciate ligament ACL - The ligament, located in the center of the knee, that controls rotation and forward movement of the tibia shin bone. Posterior cruciate ligament PCL - The ligament, located in the center of the knee, that controls backward movement of the tibia shin bone. Medial collateral ligament MCL - The ligament that gives stability to the inner knee.

The ACL helps keep the knee stable. The anterior cruciate KROO-she-ate ligament can tear if an injury stretches it too much. Most people who tear their ACL feel pain and a "pop" in their knee when the injury happens. Their knee usually gets swollen soon after the injury. After the swelling goes down, someone with an ACL tear usually can walk. But the knee may feel unstable and can "give way" and make the person stumble or fall.

ACL tears happen most often during sports involving turning, cutting, and pivoting like skiing, soccer, football, basketball, and tennis. Women tear their ACL more often than men. This is most likely due to different anatomy. To diagnose a torn ACL, health care providers ask about the injury and do a physical exam. During the exam, the health care provider presses on the knee and legs and moves them in certain ways.

Get immediate medical attention if the foot is cool and blue after a knee injury. This means that the knee joint may be dislocated, and blood vessels to the foot may be injured.

This is a medical emergency. Use proper techniques when playing sports or exercising. Some college sports programs teach athletes how to reduce stress placed on the ACL. This involves a series of warm up exercises and jumping drills.

There are jumping and landing exercises that have been shown to reduce ACL injuries. The use of knee braces during vigorous athletic activity such as football is controversial. It has not been shown to reduce the number of knee injuries, but not specifically ACL injuries. Bolgla LA. Gender issues in ACL injury. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Brotzman SB. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Anatomy and biomechanics of the anterior cruciate ligament.

In: Prodomos CC.