Which ligament attaches the anterior tibia to the posterior femur and controls anterior tibial translation?

• A. PCL
• B. MCL
• C. ACL
• D. LCL

Answer: (C)

The anterior cruciate ligament is the structure described. It runs from the front part of the tibia up to the back part of the femur, so when the tibia tends to move forward relative to the femur, this ligament tightens and stops that anterior translation. That makes it the primary restraint to anterior tibial movement. In contrast, the posterior cruciate ligament connects the back of the tibia to the front of the femur and prevents the tibia from sliding backward, while the medial and lateral collateral ligaments stabilize against side-to-side forces. So the ligament matching the description is the anterior cruciate ligament.