A PCL Injury is a tear or sprain in the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) of the knee. The posterior cruciate ligament, together with its counterpart the anterior cruciate ligament, holds the bones of the knee together and make it possible for the knee to bear weight. Symptoms of a PCL tear or sprain include pain and swelling around the knee. Treatment of a PCL tear or sprain will likely include rest to allow the ligament to heal naturally. Ice, compression and elevation of the knee are also common PCL injury treatments.
Common causes of a PCL injury are:
PCL tears or sprains are actually far less common than ACL tear or sprain injuries. In addition, they are usually less painful. However, a PCL Injury can still cause pain and swelling of the knee, together with difficulty walking. In more serious cases, you will also experience knee instability (feeling as though your knee will “give away” when you try to place weight on it).
Initially, if there are no other injuries, the symptoms of a PCL injury may be so mild that you may not even notice any trouble with your knee. Over time, the symptoms may become more severe and instability may develop.
To treat your PCL Injury, your doctor may recommend:
If your injury is a severe one (e.g. complete ligament rupture) your doctor may recommend surgery to correct the problem. He or she may also suggest this option if the PCL injury does not respond to the conservative treatments mentioned above.
Expect to spend 3-4 weeks recovering from a moderate PCL injury. However, if it is more severe ( a tear or rupture, with knee instability present) your recovery may take as long as 8-12 weeks.
Once your knee shows progress towards recovery, you should ask your physiotherapist to devise a program of exercises and stretches to improve your range of motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee. Following this program will help to ensure a rapid and complete recovery.
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The Bio Skin Gladiator uses a rigid hinge for knee ligament protection and is a useful brace to use after knee reconstruction. The brace has a rigid strapping system that securely anchors it to your leg and avoids the need for more costly braces. You can also adjust the range of motion using pins to limit the degree of flexion and/or extension.
The Bio Skin Gladiator – Front Closure uses a rigid hinge to effectively protect knee ligaments, including during the post reconstruction phase. The brace uses a rigid strapping system to firmly anchor itself to your leg and avoid the need for more expensive knee braces. The brace uses an easy on/off front closure design and has pins for the hinges that you can set to control the degree of flexion and/or extension.
