Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are increasingly common in the United States. This may be related to the increase in high school sports participation, particularly in female athletes. A significant proportion of these injuries are caused by noncontact mechanisms. The incidence of these noncontact injuries may be significantly reduced by enrolling young athletes in jump-training programs. The diagnosis of ACL injuries involves a focused history and physical examination, which can provide a high index of suspicion. Although radiographs are important to rule out associated injuries, the gold standard for diagnosis of ACL injuries is MRI, which has shown excellent accuracy.