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PCL Injury
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Dealing with PCL Injury
If ACL (which is also known as Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is the most popular knee injury, PCL or Posterior Cruciate Ligament injury is the opposite. Research shows that PCL injury happens one for every ten ACL injuries.
The Posterior Cruciate Ligament is also an important ligament that comprises the knee joint. It is like a braided rope of tissue that supports the leg bone, tibia and the thigh bone, femur. The PCL is vital to prevent backward motion of the tibia against the femur. Though the PCL is not that popular compared to ACL, it also plays an important role for the knee stability.
PCL injury is the tear or stretching of the PCL. It can be a complete or partial tear. There are few complete PCL tear accounted for since a strong force mechanism is needed to rupture the PCL. Complete tear are usually associated with other knee related injuries such as other ligament tears.
Here are the causes of PCL injuries:
1. Direct blow to the front part of the tibia. This may happen when car accidents wreck the dashboard pushing it over the knee. The tibia then is being pushed backwards causing tear and stretching of the PCL.
2. Hyperextension. This may happen if a football player maybe running back and was hit low in front. This may cause the PCL to stretch backwards.
Once you have a PCL injury, there would be tenderness and knee swelling. You will also feel pain in the knee joint. The swelling and pain are lesser though than when you incur and ACL injury. Bruising can be noticed within 24 to 36 hours after the injury.
TREATMENT:
As have mentioned, major PCL injuries are not that common. Clinical exams will be performed to determine the damage in the knee joint. A physician may perform manipulations to the knee joint. These include quadriceps active drawer test and posterior drawer test.
Other examination techniques that maybe performed are ballottement test and hemarthrosis. The latter will be able to detect is there is fluid in the knee while hemarthrosis will be able to detect bleeding in the knee joint. The injury may also be seen when having a knee MRI and x-ray.
Usually PCL injuries can be treated initially by immobilizing the knee for sometime. Then rehabilitation follows to strengthen the muscles. Proper rehabilitation then will help control the swelling and pain and help to regain the normal level of activities. Some of the exercises that can help are agility training such as zigzag running, cariocas, and other endurance trainings. Patients can go on with their previous high demand activities within 3 to 6 weeks.
However, if the injury is deemed as acute, other ligaments were damaged and the person has high demanding activity level, surgery maybe needed. This can be knee artroscopy or open surgical reconstruction. This may also be necessary if you have re-injured your knee.
It is important to note that treatment should be given proper emphasis since PCL injuries may even lead to arthritis. Do not try to ignore simple pain and swelling so as to prevent any further damage to your knee joint. Our knee is important to almost all daily activities. They also deserved to be taken care of, just like the other parts of the body.
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