Skeletal immaturity, sports science, and rising recurrence have all led to an increase in ACL injuries among adolescent players. Every other day, we learn about a renowned professional athlete who will be out for an extended period of time after ripping their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). From Michael Jordan to Karl Malone to John McEnroe, the number of athletes that we have seen lose part or all of their seasons due to an ACL injury is staggering. The most common cause of an ACL tear is a sudden change in direction when playing soccer, basketball, or football. Young athletes may be able to tolerate these changes in direction because their bones are still growing and becoming more stable. As adolescents reach skeletal maturity, these small changes in direction become extremely difficult for them to handle without suffering an ACL injury. As young athletes begin to develop skills that require them to change directions on the fly, such as while dribbling or shooting, they face an increasing risk of injuring their ACL. Because these injuries often occur during high-stress situations when mental focus and physical ability combine to produce explosive movement, it isn't surprising that many cases involve young athletes who have "let their guard down" either by looking away from the play for a second or forgetting for a moment that they are under great stress and must keep their feet planted on the ground to maintain control.