I frequently read in sports journals about the two main ligaments in the knee. I understand the anterior cruciate ligament is the one that's most often injured. Is it possible to tear both ligaments at the same time?

Yes. High-velocity or high-energy accidents in contact sports can cause damage to both ligaments in the knee. This can also happen in car accidents if the knee impacts the dashboard. Injuring both ligaments makes the knee very unstable. This causes problems walking and using the knee.

With this much damage, surgery is the preferred treatment. The surgeon will repair as much as possible at one time, but these are time-consuming operations. Sometimes a second surgery is needed to finish the repair. The first and most important surgery is to repair the posterior cruciate ligament and surrounding structures. These must be repaired at the same time because these tissues work together to help stabilize the knee.