The bones of the knee are connected to each other through ligaments. If for some reason any one of these ligaments is damaged, you will have pain, swelling, and difficulty in walking. One of these ligaments is the posterior cruciate ligament. Posterior cruciate ligament injury, ie, what happens when it hurts and how it can be treated. Sp looking for PCL Tear Surgery in Jaipur? book an appointment with Dr. Arun Partani at Partani Clinic, Jaipur.

The posterior cruciate ligament is located at the back of the knee and connects your shinbone and thighbone. This helps in curbing the shinbone very backward, which makes it flexible. Ligaments act like a rope. There are a total of 4 ligaments in your knee, so it keeps the bones of the knee together. Posterior cruciate ligament injury occurs when the knee is hit too hard or puts too much pressure on it in an accident.

The posterior cruciate ligament is stronger than the anterior cruciate ligament and is less prone to injury. But if you ever fall on your knees or put more pressure on the feet in an accident, then the risk of posterior cruciate ligament injury increases.

Injuries to the knee joint can result in damage to the posterior cruciate ligament, or injury to the posterior cruciate ligament, as well as damage to other ligaments if the knee is overstretched or strained during a sport. Causes of injury include:

1. Car Accident- If you bend your knees during an accident and you forcefully push forward towards the dashboard, your shin bones are pushed inwards which can lead to posterior cruciate ligament injury.

2. Contact Sports Activities – This posterior cruciate ligament injury can occur when you fall on your knees after playing athletic sports such as football or soccer. In this situation, the shinbone hits the ground below and slips back. Posterior cruciate ligament injury can also occur when the knee is flexed.

To diagnose a posterior cruciate ligament injury, the doctor will first ask your medical history, such as what you were doing when the injury occurred, such as driving a car or playing a sport. The doctor will also ask some other questions:

A physical examination is also done to diagnose a posterior cruciate ligament injury. The doctor asks you to lie on your back with your knees bent. He examines your knees and presses on the upper shin. If there is abnormal movement of the knee during this test, it means that there has been a posterior cruciate ligament injury. Apart from this, the test can also be done with an instrument like an arthrometer. It checks how tight the ligament is.

Ask the doctor to walk, if you are not able to walk properly it could be a sign of posterior cruciate ligament injury.

Apart from this, the examination of fluid present in the knee, X-ray, and MRI are also used to diagnose posterior cruciate ligament injury.

Posterior cruciate ligament injury cannot be completely avoided, as it results from an accident. However, it can be minimized by taking some precautionary steps:

Treatment at home- If a posterior cruciate ligament injury is common, then it can be treated with the PRICE method at home. These include: