The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is cited as the most frequently injured ligament in the knee that requires surgical reconstruction. Data 
from the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) and the National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery (NSAS) databases were used to analyze trends in the surgical management of ACL tears from 1990-2007. This data showed the total number of ACL reconstructions, performed in the United States, in on the rise. In 1994, 33.0 per 100,000 capita were performed and by 2006, the rate jumped to 45.1 per 100,000 capita.
Interestingly, over this same time period, age-adjusted rates of ACL reconstruction increased by 924% among patients younger than 15 years. This likely reflects an increased participation in youth sports among adolescents in the US. From 1994-2006, there was a large increase in the number of procedures performed using regional blocks: 0.7% to 30.8%.
-Source: Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, Jan. 5, 2015
