Abstract
The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament rupture – once considered a rarity in the paediatric population – is rising at an alarming rate.
Article Extract
In Australia, there has been an annual growth rate in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture of 8.8% in girls and 7.7% in boys between 5 and 14 years of age, and an overall increase of more than 70% across males and females between 5 to 24 years of age in the past 15 years.1 Rupture of the ACL is a serious and debilitating injury because it lacks the ability to heal and return to normal function, inevitably increasing the subsequent risk of further knee injury and degenerative lesions. About 70% of ACL tears occur through noncontact mechanisms such as pivoting, stepping and landing from a jumping position.2
