Posterior cruciate ligament is located at the back of the knee. One of the ligaments that connect tibia with the femur is the posterior cruciate ligament. This ligament stops the tibia from moving backwards very fast. It helps to connect cartilage.
The Injury
Injury to this ligament is caused when a strong force comes and hits the ligament. Injuries are caused due to three reasons and are of three types:
- Grade 1 Sprain -Here ligament is slightly damaged. It will be mildly stretched but keeps knee joint stable in position.
- Grade 2 Sprain – Here the ligament is stretched to a point where it becomes loose. It can be termed as partial tear in ligament.
- Grade 3 Sprain -Here the ligament tears completely. Here the ligament splits into two pieces and the knee joint gets unstable.
The Repair Procedure
Repair can be done by both surgical and non-surgical ways.
- Non-surgical treatment-If the posterior cruciate ligament is injured, it may heal through a non-surgical treatment like RICE (rest, ice, gentle compression, elevation) to speed up the recovery. Also immobilization techniques like using a brace to prevent the knee from moving or crutches to keep the leg from putting weight into can be given to the patient. As the swelling comes down some exercises might take care of the ligament.
- When you have combined injuries like knee dislocation with tear of multiple ligaments, surgery is necessary. A tissue graft is used to replace the torn ligament. The graft might be taken from some other part of the body or from some donor. It takes several months for the graft to heal with your bone. Less invasive arthroscopic surgery is used which takes less pain, less time to be spent in the hospital and quick recovery.
