La Turrita - Anterior cruciate ligament injury

In Switzerland alone, between 10,000 and 12,000 injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee are recorded every year. The knee is one of the largest joints in the human body and has a very complex network of ligaments that are responsible for its movement and stability. "The ACL is a very strong bundle of tissue located in the center of the knee joint (together with its posterior counterpart, with which it forms a ‘cross’ inside the knee), whose fundamental role is to ensure stability during both forward translation and internal rotation of the tibia. This ligament prevents excessive movement of the tibia (forward and twisting) and is essential for running, changing direction, and braking without the knee giving way," explains Dr. Dario Giunchi, a specialist in orthopedic surgery and traumatology of the musculoskeletal system at Ars Medica Medical Center in Manno, who summarizes the causes of possible rupture as follows: “Most injuries occur during sports activities that require a combined movement of valgus, flexion, and rotation of the knee joint when the leg is stationary on the ground, such as sports that require rapid changes of direction, such as skiing, soccer, or basketball.”

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