Posterior Cruciate Ligament - Anatomy of the Knee Joint and Causes of PCL Injuries

Posterior Cruciate Ligament

Every healthy knee joint has two cruciate ligaments. These ligaments, Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), make the bending and rotation of the knee possible. They connect the thighbone with the shinbone.

The PCL is about twice as strong and thick as the normal ACL, therefore PCL injury rarely occurs. Its width is almost 13mm and the length is almost equal to the length of the ACL which is 38mm. It originates from the back to the front, exactly opposite to that of the ACL.

The PCL injury causes less pain, less disability, less swelling as compared to the ACL. Still, it takes many weeks to recover from.

The PCL injury is also called knee injury-posterior cruciate ligament, hyperextended knee, and cruciate ligament injury-posterior. There are three main causes of PCL injury. The first cause is smashing the tibia or lower bone of the knee joint to anything that is hard. The second is falling on the bent knee while playing any game like football. The last one is as simple as a bad move or slipping.

Other causes of the PCL injury may include bending or moving your knee too far from its normal position, also called hyperextension. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling up of the knee within 10 minutes of the injury, tenderness of the knee, difficulty while walking, and losing stability of the knee. Patients sometimes feel like the knee is giving out.

The symptoms of PCL injury may not be too bad, but if other ligaments are also injured with PCL then these symptoms will be more severe and the instability may remain for a long time. The ratio of PCL injury among men is greater than women. The risk of having PCL injury is high while playing games like cricket, football, among other contact sports.

Your physician will ask about your medical history or if you are having any problem with your knee and if you ever had an accident. Then physical examination of the knee will be conducted. It may include many tests. One of the most important tests is Posterior Drawer Test. Surgery may be suggested only if other ligaments get damaged, otherwise there is no need for it.

If you have injued your PCL you will want to consider getting a knee brace for support. This conservative measurement of treatment is useful in helping to support the knee after an injury has happened. They can also help reduce pain and help protect the knee as well.

The only purpose of this article is to provide information regarding PCL. For medical advice and in case of any suspected injury to your PCL, consult your doctor.