Anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) injuries in children and adolesecence athletes are more that common in contact and noncontract sports and often can lead to other more serious damage to the knee.
ACL injuries in professional and amateur athletes can be devastating to a young athletes career. If an ACL injury is not treated with surgery there is less than 60% chnace that the athlete will be able to return to an active sport which involves jumping and pivoting. Strenous activities after having injured an athlete's ACL may lead to another episode. Multiple episodes may in turn result in further damage to the anatomy of the knee.
Any of several indications from a athlete's history could indicate the possiblity that the athlete has an acute ACL tear. Most athlete hear or feel a pop in the knee. An athlete might also feel a sharp or gradual pain in the posterior or lateral side of the joint. Other injuries might subside from an acute ACL tear. Such as a tear in the lateral meniscus or injury to the lateral collateral ligament. The Lachman test, and an anterior drawer test are some of only a few physical examination test that are highly reliable in determining an ACL tear.