Posterior Cruciate Ligament Treatment
The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is one of the four ligaments that stabilize your knee. The PCL connects your femur (thigh bone) to your tibia (shin bone) and functions to prevent your lower leg from slipping back too far in relation to your upper leg. A PCL can become injured due to a forceful hyperextension of the knee such as a direct blow. If you have torn your PCL you may experience pain, instability, or immobility
At Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, our highly-trained, certified knee specialists can help you achieve the relief you deserve from a PCL injury. New PCL injuries can typically be treated with rest, ice, compression, elevation, or immobilization. However, if you have sustained another injury in addition to a PCL tear, you may require surgical treatment. During PCL surgery, your doctor will replace your torn ligament with a tissue graft. Our team will work alongside you during your surgery and provide you with a personalized rehabilitation plan to ensure you achieve a healthy, quick recovery.
If you have sustained a PCL injury, we are here to help you achieve relief. Schedule your first consultation with the team at Barrington Orthopedic Specialists today. If you’re in an emergency situation, visit the Immediate Care Clinic at our Schaumburg, IL location.
Posterior Crucial Ligament
The four ligaments that stabilize the knee are:
- The anterior cruciate
- The posterior cruciate ligament
- The lateral ligaments
- Medial collateral ligaments
The PCL has been described as one of the main stabilizers of the knee. It is broader and stronger than the ACL. It connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone). Its function is to prevent the posterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur.
Posterior Crucial Ligament FAQ
What Causes Posterior Crucial Ligament (PCL)?
PCL injury commonly occurs in sports such as football, soccer, basketball, and skiing. A hyperextension or a direct blow just below the knee cap will disrupt the PCL and cause knee pain and PCL Injury.
For example, the football player who is tackled with a direct hit to the knee will hyperextend the limb and sustain a PCL Injury.
The basketball player who lands on the court directly on a bent knee will tear his PCL resulting in knee pain.
What Are The Symptoms of Posterior Crucial Ligament (PCL)?
- Pain
- A feeling of instability
What Are The Treatment Options For Posterior Crucial Ligament (PCL)?
Nonsurgical Treatment
If you have injured just your posterior cruciate ligament, your injury may heal quite well without surgery. Your doctor may recommend simple, nonsurgical options.
RICE. When you are first injured, the RICE method – rest, ice, gentle compression and elevation – can help speed your recovery.
Immobilization. Your doctor may recommend a brace to prevent your knee from moving. To further protect your knee, you may be given crutches to keep you from putting weight on your leg.
Physical therapy. As the swelling goes down, a careful rehabilitation program is started. Specific exercises will restore function to your knee and strengthen the leg muscles that support it. Strengthening the muscles in the front of your thigh (quadriceps) has been shown to be a key factor in a successful recovery.
Surgical Treatment
Your doctor may recommend surgery if you have combined injuries. For example, if you have dislocated your knee and torn multiple ligaments including the posterior cruciate ligament, surgery is almost always necessary.
Rebuilding the ligament. Because sewing the ligament ends back together does not usually heal, a torn posterior cruciate ligament must be rebuilt. Your doctor will replace your torn ligament with a tissue graft. This graft is taken from another part of your body, or from another human donor (cadaver). It can take several months for the graft to heal into your bone.
Procedure. Surgery to rebuild a posterior cruciate ligament is done with an arthroscope using small incisions. Arthroscopic surgery is less invasive. The benefits of less invasive techniques include less pain from surgery, less time spent in the hospital, and quicker recovery times.
Surgical procedures to repair posterior cruciate ligaments continue to improve. More advanced techniques help patients resume a wider range of activities after rehabilitation.