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URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/8717.htm
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
Overview
Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is very common and usually the result of a twisting of the leg while applying full downward pressure.
Review Date 6/27/2026
Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Peter and Sophie Pappas Endowed Chair, V-nee Yeh Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
