Posterior Cruciate Ligament
Meniscus (cartilage) Surgery
The posterior cruciate ligament (or PCL) is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It connects the posterior intercondylar area of the tibia to the medial condyle of the femur. This configuration allows the PCL to resist forces pushing the tibia posteriorly relative to the femur.The PCL is an intracapsular ligament along with the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) because it lies deep within the knee joint. They are both isolated from the fluid-filled synovial cavity, with the synovial membrane wrapped around them. Along with the ACL which keeps the tibia from sliding too far forward, the PCL helps to maintain the tibia in position below the femur .bone. Posterior cruciate ligament injuries comprise between 3% and 20% of all knee ligament injuries.
Common causes include
Striking the knee against the dashboard during an auto accidentThis occurs when the knee is bent, and an object forcefully strikes the shin backwards. It is called a ‘dashboard injury’ because this can be seen in car collisions when the shin forcefully strikes the dashboard.
Falling on the knee while it’s bent. The other common mechanism of injury is a sports injury when an athlete falls on the front of their knee. In this injury, the knee is hyperflexed (bent all the way back), with the foot held pointing downwards. These types of injuries stress the PCL, and if the force is high enough, a PCL tear will result. These injuries are especially common in football, soccer, baseball, skiing etc.
Classification of PCL injuries
- Grade I : The PCL has a partial tear
- Grade II : The ligament is partially torn and is looser than in Grade I
- Grade III : The ligament is completely torn and the knee becomes unstable
- Grade IV : The PCL is damaged along with another ligament in the knee