In this April 8, 2011, file photo, Aliya Mustafina of Russia gets assistance after suffering from an injury at the vault during the women's individual all-around gymnastics final of the Artistic Gymnastics European Championships in Berlin, Germany. Photo: AP Photo/Gero Breloer,File/MCT

You Don't Have To Tackle To Get Hurt

Most injuries happen without kids even touching another player.

Usually, you feel a pop in the knee and then see swelling, says doctor Randall Schultz. Sometimes it will hurt; other times, the pain might not be that bad.

It's not something you have to go to the emergency room for, he says. ###### In the meantime, put ice on it and use crutches to try to stay off it."

Sports where kids stop suddenly and turn in a different direction usually are the cause. Such sports include soccer, gymnastics, volleyball and basketball. Boys also saw problems with football which is a contact sport. ######

The risk goes up for girls once they hit age 12 or 13. For boys, it goes up around age 14 or 15. The teen years are a time when kids grow faster. Sometimes, their bodies can't keep up. ######

With girls, the ligaments become looser during the teen years. With teen boys, the muscles generally become larger. This makes them more able to handle the quick growth of their bones.

An ACL Injury Can Stick Around A Long Time

The number of kids with ACL injuries is on the rise because of a change in how kids play sports: These days, more kids are focusing on one sport all year, with few breaks. ###### They also took time off in between seasons.

An ACL injury can have long-lasting effects. Athletes who've had one are very likely to develop arthritis in their knee. In fact, they are 10 times more likely than athletes who never had one.

###### I'm worried about it," Schultz says.]]>