Posterior cruciate ligament injury
Posterior cruciate ligament injuries are much less common than anterior cruciate ligament injuries The posterior and anterior cruciate ligaments ensure the integrity of the knee joint If one of the joints is torn, pain, stiffness and a feeling of instability in the knee joint develop
A ligament is a strong, hard tissue that connects bones together The cruciate ligament connects the femur to the tibia The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments form an X-shaped structure in the center of the knee
Posterior cruciate ligament injuries cause less pain and instability than anterior cruciate ligament injuries, although symptoms may last for several weeks or months.
The posterior cruciate ligament is pulled if the tibia is severely injured or you fall with a bent knee. These injuries are common:
- in car accidents A front-end injury occurs when the driver's or passenger's bent knee hits the interior of the vehicle, causing the tibia to strike below the knee and tear the posterior cruciate ligament.
- Contact sports Athletes who play soccer or rugby are at high risk for posterior cruciate ligament injuries when they fall with a bent knee. At this time, the tibia hits the ground first and returns In soccer, pressure on the tibia by another player can also cause an injury to the posterior cruciate ligament.
An injury to the posterior cruciate ligament is manifested by these symptoms:
- Pain Mild to moderate pain causes a slight limp or difficulty walking
- Add Knee swelling develops rapidly, within hours of injury
- Feeling of instability The knee joint seems to be not strengthened
Signs and symptoms are sometimes so mild that the patient does not even notice any pathology. Over time, the pain worsens and the knee joint becomes more unstable If other parts of the knee are also affected, the signs and symptoms are even more severe
