International Epidemiology of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Abstract

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the knee ligament that runs from the posterior medial aspect of the lateral femoral condyle in the intercondylar notch to the anterior aspect of the intercondylar eminence of the tibia, limits anterior movement of the tibia relative to the femur. As such, it is the knee ligament most often ruptured by athletes. While the ACL can be ruptured due to contact injuries, it is more often ruptured due to non-contact injuries, usually when an athlete hyperextends the knees or suddenly changes direction while moving. Current studies on ACL injuries have focused on trying to explain which sports place an athlete at greatest risk for ACL injuries, or why female athletes are more likely to suffer from ACL injuries than male athletes in a given sport. However, very little research has been conducted on how the incidences, or numbers of new cases per year, of ACL injuries compare among different countries. In this review, we look at studies on ACL injuries in the general populations of select countries, and in populations of athletes of specific sports in different countries, to see how their injury incidences compare.