The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a large, strong ligament in the knee which is very important in providing stability to the knee joint. The knee acts like a hinge joint and the ACL runs diagonally from the femur to the tibia; acting to prevent the tibia from sliding forward from the femur as the knee bends and twists.
Injury to the ACL will typically occur with the body twisting forcefully whilst the foot is planted. It is a common sporting injury–particularly in sports such as skiing, football, rugby, netball and basketball.