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During the past 20 years, the number of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in young athletes has increased. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a clinical report on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of ACL injuries in youth. Key points are as follows:
Sports associated with the highest ACL injury rates in high school athletes are girls' soccer, basketball, and gymnastics and boys' football and lacrosse (7–12/100,000 athlete exposures).
Risk increases significantly at ages 12 to 13 in girls and ages 14 to 15 in boys.
Most (≥70%) ACL injuries are not from contact and often are associated with an internally rotated hip, a knee close to full extension, planted foot, and decelerating body.
Athle…