[Eagle5US]

You did really well with your research!
Plant and twist injuries account for a vast majority of ruptured ACL's...greater than 70% with associated miniscal tears.
Immediate and dramatic swelling is due to the blood escaping into the capsule from the injury itself...if there is nothing immediate, then by the following moring the joint will effuse (fill with fluid) as a protective measure.
Lachman's and drawers are exactly correct...
My "good" knee extrused (pulled forward) 5mm at the little knotty thing below my kneecap on my shin bone (the tibial tuberosity). This is where the patellar tendon attaches the kneecap to your shin.
My "bad" knee extrused 13mm with (of course) the mushy endpoint.
Two main options for active and athletic...
1. Hamstring harvest and double knot graft as you mentioned...
2. My choice...Doc's concurrance
Bone Tendon Bone graft with indwelling screws.
Takes a little longer to heal, but the results are top notch. A small piece of kneecap is harvested along with the attached patellar tendon...this is used as the new ACL and literally screwed into the bone for attachment.
Try and do too much too soon...fractured patella (Jerry Rice not to long ago), but let it heal appropriately has a tremendous level of stability.
It may not ACTUALLY be the best...but it is the one he has had the most success with at Coronado and sounds pretty industrial grade for a repair...
For stabilization in the field...something as simple as figure 8's with cravats work well for compression and stability. Your two main goals are resorption of fluid and prevention of the femur sliding forward further damaging the knee capsule and its structures.
Well done!

Irish, thank for the link!!!

Eagle