This article will help give you some more information about the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The first thing you need to know is that the PCL is a ligament in the knee. The word “posterior” means “rear.” That means you can find the PCL at the rear of the knee. PCL tears often occur when injuries occur to the lower portion of your leg.  Let’s take a quick look how this injury can occur and some of the other important things that you should know about a PCL injury.

What is the function of the PCL?

The PCL is one of the four main ligaments in the knee.  Each ligament serves a certain function to the knee itself. The main purpose of the PCL is to keep your knee from hyper-extending. When you bend your knee, the PCL ligament becomes slack, or loose. When you straighten your knee back out, the ligament becomes tight.

How can the PCL become damaged?

Remember, when your leg is straight, the PCL ligament is already in a tight position. If pressure is applied to the bottom portion of the leg, the ligament can become damaged. It’s in this “tight” position that makes this ligament vulnerable to a potential injury when your lower leg has force brought upon it.

How likely are you to injure your PCL?

PCL injuries are quite rare due to the location of the ligament at the back of the knee. Most knee injuries involve the ACL. These ACL injuries almost always require some kind surgery. In the case of a PCL injury, surgery may not always be required, because it is not as significant of a structure in comparison to the ACL. That being said, most doctors will advise reconstructive surgery on most partial or total tears. Surgery is usually the best treatment option to give you the best future mobility with your knee.

Is a PCL tear painful?

While the PCL tear is a less-common knee injury, it is still a very painful injury. You could damage the upper, middle or lower portion of the PCL, causing immense pain to follow. In some cases, the PCL tear can even tear a portion of the bone with it. Needless to say, this is extremely painful if this happens.

If you have been injured in an accident, contact us today at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Accident Injury Attorneys for a free case evaluation. Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys will work hard to ensure that you receive the settlement that you deserve!