Ligaments are tough, non-stretchable fibers that hold bones together.
The ACL is the ligament that connects the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) inside the knee joint.
Your ACL, along with the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and menisci (cartilage), helps keep the knee stable and also helps protect the knee from shifting, rotating, and hyper-extending during running, jumping, or landing.
ACL tears can occur from forceful contact to the front or outer part of the knee or from the knee twisting or hyper-extending.
An ACL tear is usually associated with sudden knee pain and a sense of the knee giving way.
ACL injuries can impact kids and teens, just as much as (or more than) professional athletes. In fact, girls are far more susceptible to these injuries than boys.
What are some ways parents and coaches can help prevent these injuries in youth?
Cynthia LaBella, MD, discusses ACL injuries, their symptoms and treatment options.
Selected Podcast
ACL Injuries: Symptoms & Prevention Tips
Featuring:
Cynthia LaBella, MD, is the Medical Director of the Institute for Sports Medicine at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
After earning her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York and finishing a residency in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Dr. LaBella completed a sports medicine fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is board certified in both Pediatrics and Sports Medicine, and joined Lurie Children’s in 2004 to develop a comprehensive program in pediatric sports medicine, encompassing clinical care, research, and community outreach.
Dr. LaBella has served as team physician for high school, college, elite, and professional teams, including DePaul University and the Chicago Fire. She is currently the team physician for DeLaSalle high school, Moody Bible Institute, North Side Youth Football League, and the United States Rhythmic Gymnastics team.
She served on the executive committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness (COSMF) for seven years as the COSMF policy coordinator, and was recently elected chairperson. She also serves on the sports medicine advisory committees for the Illinois High School Association, YMCA of the USA, and Pop Warner Football.
Her research efforts focus on identification of risk factors for injury in youth sports and development of strategies for prevention. She has won two awards for her 2006 research demonstrating that a coach-led neuromuscular warm-up reduces knee and ankle injuries in girls’ soccer and basketball at Chicago Public High Schools. This study was published in the November 2011 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Cynthia LaBella, MD
Cynthia LaBella, MD, is the Medical Director of the Institute for Sports Medicine at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. After earning her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York and finishing a residency in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Dr. LaBella completed a sports medicine fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is board certified in both Pediatrics and Sports Medicine, and joined Lurie Children’s in 2004 to develop a comprehensive program in pediatric sports medicine, encompassing clinical care, research, and community outreach.
Dr. LaBella has served as team physician for high school, college, elite, and professional teams, including DePaul University and the Chicago Fire. She is currently the team physician for DeLaSalle high school, Moody Bible Institute, North Side Youth Football League, and the United States Rhythmic Gymnastics team.
She served on the executive committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness (COSMF) for seven years as the COSMF policy coordinator, and was recently elected chairperson. She also serves on the sports medicine advisory committees for the Illinois High School Association, YMCA of the USA, and Pop Warner Football.
Her research efforts focus on identification of risk factors for injury in youth sports and development of strategies for prevention. She has won two awards for her 2006 research demonstrating that a coach-led neuromuscular warm-up reduces knee and ankle injuries in girls’ soccer and basketball at Chicago Public High Schools. This study was published in the November 2011 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.