What causes ACL tears?

What causes ACL tears?

Most ACL tears are non-contact injuries. This means that they are not caused by, for example, another player kicking your knee. They can occur in several different ways, including when you:

• Suddenly stop running.
• Slow down when you’re running.
• Land awkwardly from a jump.
• Change direction suddenly, twisting your knee.
• Collide with someone else, like during a football tackle.

Sometimes – about half the time – other damage happens along with ACL tears. There may be damage to other parts of the knee such as the other ligaments and/or the cartilage (a gel-like connective tissue). 70 % of people with ACL tears will have injury to one or both of the menisci (the cushions in the knee that help to protect the cartilage).