Pediatric ACL Injuries: A Current Concepts Review

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in children and adolescents are occurring at the intersection of skeletal growth and often early sports specialization, requiring a specialized approach, as pediatric ACL injury is not merely a scaled-down version of adult injury.

This review synthesizes the current understanding of diagnostic protocols, evolution of knee morphology and neuromechanical risk factors characteristic of the pediatric population. It further examines the spectrum of specific management strategies including conservative approaches, primary repair and various reconstruction techniques, alongside rehabilitation, prevention and follow-up procedures.

In the diagnostic phase, pediatric-specific clinical and imaging findings must be carefully interpreted. Certain anatomical and neuromuscular characteristics seem to be linked to injury. Management remains complex, requiring a delicate balance between restoring stability and sparing bone growth. While conservative treatment may be attempted in specific cases, it must be promptly redirected toward surgical intervention if persistent instability occurs. Consensus on optimal surgical strategies remain impeded by the lack of robust evidence. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) still faces challenges such as growth disturbances, high graft failure, contralateral rupture rates and the biological process of graft remodeling. However, ACLR currently remains the gold standard compared to ACL repair. Tailored rehabilitation and robust prevention programs are needed.

The management of ACL rupture in the pediatric population remains complex and constrained by important evidence gaps. Continued refinement of management strategies and future prospective, multicenter pediatric studies are needed.