POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT KNEE INJURIES

Course overview

THE POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT (PCL) IS ONE OF THE FOUR MAJOR LIGAMENTS OF THE KNEE JOINT THAT FUNCTIONS TO STABILIZE THE TIBIA ON THE FEMUR. IT ORIGINATES FROM THE ANTEROLATERAL ASPECT OF THE MEDIAL FEMORAL CONDYLE IN THE AREA OF THE INTERCONDYLAR NOTCH AND INSERTS ONTO THE POSTERIOR ASPECT OF THE TIBIAL PLATEAU. IT FUNCTIONS TO PREVENT POSTERIOR TRANSLATION OF THE TIBIA ON THE FEMUR. TO A LESSER EXTENT, THE PCL FUNCTIONS TO RESIST VARUS, VALGUS, AND EXTERNAL ROTATION FORCES. IT IS APPROXIMATELY 1.3 TO 2 TIMES AS THICK AND ABOUT TWICE AS STRONG AS THE ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT (ACL) AND, CONSEQUENTLY, LESS COMMONLY SUBJECT TO INJURY. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT KNEE INJURIES, AND HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH THIS TYPE OF INJURY.