Posterior cruciate ligament injury

 

What is the usual mechanism of injury of the posterolateral corner?

The PCL may become injured when there is a severe backwards blow to the upper tibia when the knee is bent. The classical is a 'dashboard' injury, such as when a car stops abruptly and the passenger is driven forwards and hits the knee on the dashboard. It may also happen if a person falls suddenly onto a bent knee.

A further mechanism of injury is when a blow drives the knee joint backwards (hyper-extension).

 

How common are injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament?

Injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament are less frequent than those of the anterior cruciate, because it requires a greater force to tear the ligament or pull it from the bone.

 

What are the symptoms of a torn posterior cruciate ligament?

Symptoms of a tear include:

• pain at the time of injury, which is not always severe
• swelling of the knee which again is sometimes tense but not always so
• instability with a limp and feelings of 'giving way'.