Knee Ligament Care
Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
PCL injuries can cause swelling, posterior sag, knee instability and difficulty with stairs or sports after accidents and high-energy knee trauma.
Dashboard or sports trauma
A blow to the front of the shin or a fall on a bent knee can injure the PCL.
Instability on stairs
Patients may feel the knee shift backward or feel weak during slopes and stairs.
ACL and arthroscopy care
Knee ligament injuries are often reviewed together before surgery decisions.
View ACL careWhen to suspect a PCL injury
PCL injuries are sometimes missed early because pain may settle while instability remains.
Common complaints
- Swelling after a road traffic or sports injury.
- Pain behind or deep inside the knee.
- Feeling of instability on stairs, slopes or running.
- Posterior sag or sense that the shin moves backward.
Associated injuries
- Meniscus tear.
- Cartilage injury.
- ACL/MCL/LCL combined ligament injury.
- Fracture around knee in high-energy trauma.
Clinical examination and imaging
A careful exam is needed to grade the injury and identify combined knee damage.
Examination
- Posterior drawer and sag tests.
- Assessment of varus/valgus and rotational stability.
- Walking pattern and quadriceps strength review.
Tests
- X-ray to rule out fracture or avulsion.
- MRI to confirm PCL tear and associated ligament, meniscus or cartilage damage.
- Stress views may be used in selected chronic instability cases.
Bracing, physiotherapy or surgery
Not every PCL tear needs surgery, but persistent instability should not be ignored.
Non-surgical care
- PCL brace where suitable.
- Swelling control and protected activity.
- Quadriceps-focused physiotherapy.
- Return-to-sport testing before full sports activity.
Surgical planning
- Considered for high-grade instability.
- Combined ligament injury.
- Avulsion injury needing fixation.
- Persistent disability despite supervised rehab.
Rehab and return to activity
Recovery is staged and needs close coordination between surgeon, physiotherapist and patient.
Early phase
- Control swelling and protect the healing ligament.
- Restore safe motion and quadriceps activation.
- Avoid hamstring loading when restricted.
Later phase
- Strength, balance and gait correction.
- Sport-specific drills only after clearance.
- Regular follow-up to check stability and confidence.
Next Step
Book evaluation for knee instability
Bring X-rays, MRI and injury details if available so the grade of injury and treatment plan can be discussed clearly.