Knee Replacement Surgery Service

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) tears are common knee injuries, especially for athletesand sometimes after road raffic accidents. The ACL and PCL are two of four ligaments that stabilize the knee joint, allowing the knee to move forward and backward without moving side to side. The ACL is located in the center of the knee just in front of the PCL, keeping the shin bone (tibia) from moving too far forward, while the PCL keeps it from moving too far backward. The ligaments cross over each other, and along with the MCL and LCL, work to stabilize the knee joint. Injuries to these ligaments are more often sprains than tears, although partial or full tears can occur to either ligament.