(i) The crucial ligaments

SummaryAnterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage is a high-risk sports injury which, if not treated surgically, leads to significant medium- to long-term disability and degenerative change. ACL reconstruction should be carried out using autogenous tendon grafting a month to 6 weeks after injury. With appropriate rehabilitation, return to sports can occur at around 6 months. Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury is much less common and occurs by attenuation rather than midsubstance rupture and thus conservative treatment is an option. Surgery is not an option for isolated PCL injury, but is as part of chronic complex injury reconstruction.