Knee

Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tear

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Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tear, PCL Tear, Posterior Cruciate Deficiency, Posterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture, PCL Rupture

  • See Also
  1. Knee Pain
  2. Knee Injury
  • Epidemiology
  1. Uncommon injury
  • Mechanism of injury
  1. Direct Trauma to proximal tibia
  2. Occurs when flexed knee decelerates rapidly
    1. Hyperflexion
    2. Fall on flexed knee
  • Signs
  1. Knee Posterior Drawer Test positive
  2. PCL Sulcus Test positive
  3. PCL Sag Test positive
  1. Lateral XRay evaluates for tibial avulsion Fracture
  • Management
  1. Knee Immobilization for short period (extension splint)
  2. Knee Brace
  3. Quadriceps strengthening Exercises
  4. Surgery Indications (rarely indicated)
    1. Displaced tibial avulsion Fracture
  • References
  1. Smith (1995) Am Fam Physician 51(4): 799-806 [PubMed]