What is a torn ACL? MCL?

There are four ligaments in the knee: the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL). The ACL and PCL stabilize front-to-back knee movements, while the MCL and LCL stabilize side-to-side movements.

The ACL can be sprained or torn if the knee is straightened beyond its normal limits (hyperextended), twisted, or bent side-to-side. A sprained or torn ACL is common in sports and usually results from a hard stop or aggressive twisting of the knee. The PCL is the least common ligament to be injured.

The MCL is injured when a force is exerted on the outside of the knee, pushing it inward, while the LCL is injured by a force exerted on the inside of the knee that pushes it outward. This type of hit is frequent in contact sports like football or hockey.

A torn knee ligament is usually accompanied by feeling or hearing a pop in the knee at the time of injury, severe pain and swelling, and joint instability.

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American Orthopedic
& Sports Medicine
30 West Century Road
Suite 320
Paramus, NJ 07652
(201) 261-2000

New Jersey's Best

Dr. Steven Stoller's Bergen County, New Jersey practice specializes in physical therapy, sports medicine and orthopedic knee pain and shoulder pain.

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If you are in Bergen County or the greater New Jersey area, contact Dr. Stoller's office to schedule an appointment with New Jersey's best sports medicine doctor. For directions to our Bergen County, NJ office, click here.