In the US, approximately 100,000 to 200,000 ACL ruptures were reported each year when this article was originally published. Because these figures were largely drawn from organised college and high-school sport, the true number of ACL injuries across the wider population may have been higher.
Australia had also experienced a steep increase in ACL injuries, with research reporting a 70% rise over a 15-year period and a disproportionate increase among children under 14.
Why Do ACL Injuries Happen?
It is easy to assume that most ACL injuries occur through collisions or other direct contact. In fact, around 70% occur in non-contact situations.
A typical ACL injury may happen when an athlete:
- lands awkwardly after jumping
- changes direction suddenly
- pivots or turns sharply
- decelerates rapidly
Sports associated with higher rates of ACL injury include soccer, basketball, volleyball and skiing.
Why Are Female Athletes at Greater Risk?
Why Are Female Athletes at Greater Risk?
Why Are ACL Injuries Increasing?
Several factors may be contributing to the overall increase in ACL injuries.
Greater participation in organised sport from a young age can increase exposure to activities involving jumping, pivoting and rapid directional changes. Increasing participation by women and girls in team sports has also increased the number of athletes exposed to sports associated with ACL injury.
Associate Professor Christopher Vertullo, one of the authors of Australian research into ACL reconstruction rates, recommended broader implementation of ACL injury-prevention programs, suggesting that appropriate prevention strategies could substantially reduce injury rates.
How Can Athletes Reduce the Risk of ACL Injury?
No prevention program can eliminate ACL injuries completely, but appropriate conditioning and movement training may help reduce risk.
Strategies include:
- developing balance, agility and controlled landing technique
- incorporating appropriate plyometric or jump-training exercises
- strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings and other muscles involved in knee stability
- warming up thoroughly before training and competition
- wearing properly fitted footwear
- following sport-specific movement and training guidance from qualified coaches or health professionals
These exercises are most useful when they form part of a consistent training program rather than being performed occasionally. During the playing season, appropriate exercises may be incorporated into training two to three times per week.
Managing Pain After an ACL Injury
An ACL injury can cause significant knee pain, swelling and loss of function. Any suspected ACL injury should be assessed by a doctor, physiotherapist or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Early management has traditionally included the familiar RICE approach:
- R: Rest
- I: Ice
- C: Compression
- E: Elevation
Q Magnets may also be considered as an adjunct for temporary, localised relief of associated knee pain.
Q Magnets are precision multipolar medical magnets designed to produce localised static magnetic field gradients. Their use should be considered within the Q Magnets Field | Dose | Placement framework, where field characteristics, appropriate device selection and accurate anatomical placement all matter.
They are not intended to repair a torn ACL or replace medical assessment, rehabilitation or other treatment recommended by a healthcare professional. For practical application information, see the Q Magnets Knee Pain Treatment Protocol.
Read our complete guide to magnetic therapy for pain conditions
Learn about medical magnets for knee pain
Supporting ACL Recovery
Recovery from an ACL injury depends on the nature and severity of the injury, the individual’s circumstances and the treatment approach recommended by their healthcare team.
Rehabilitation commonly focuses on restoring movement, rebuilding strength and progressively improving knee function before returning to demanding activities.
For athletes, the goal should not simply be to reduce discomfort and return to sport as quickly as possible. Appropriate rehabilitation and progressive return-to-sport preparation are important for restoring confidence and reducing unnecessary stress on the recovering knee.
Q Magnets may form part of a broader wearable recovery environment when temporary relief of associated pain is required, but they should remain an adjunct to appropriate clinical care.
Important: Any suspected ACL injury should be assessed by a doctor or physiotherapist. Q Magnets are intended for symptomatic relief of associated pain and should not be considered a treatment for the structural ligament injury itself.
References
- UpToDate: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
- MomsTeam: ACL Injuries in Female Athletes
- Medical Journal of Australia: Increasing Rates of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Young Australians
