PCL Tear

As the strongest ligament in your knee, your posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) keeps your shinbone and femur in place. But if something strikes your knee while your leg is bent, your PCL may tear—making it hard for you to walk. After you experience a PCL injury, Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital will help you recover and return to your daily activities as quickly and safely as possible.

Symptoms of PCL Tears

When you tear your PCL, you may experience:

  • Knee pain and swelling
  • Difficulty bearing weight on the injured leg
  • A feeling of knee instability

Your injured joint also may appear to sag backwards when you bend your leg.

Diagnosing Torn PCLs

To diagnose a PCL tear, your doctor at Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital will gently press your leg and knee in certain places to check for signs of injury. Your physician may also order an X-ray to look for bone fractures or request magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine where the ligament tore.

Caring for PCL Injuries

After you experience a PCL tear, apply ice to your knee and raise the joint above your heart to help minimize pain and swelling. Your knee specialist at Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital may ask you to use crutches to keep weight off your injured leg and advise you to wear a supportive knee brace while the PCL heals.

If your PCL tore completely, you may benefit from a procedure that replaces your damaged ligament with healthy tissue from another part of your body or from a donor. If you’re a candidate for the minimally invasive, arthroscopic approach to this surgery, you’ll experience less pain and scarring and enjoy a faster recovery.

Following a PCL injury or surgery, take advantage of our knee therapy and rehabilitation services, which assist you in relieving pain and restoring the greatest possible amount of your joint’s function.