Posterior cruciate ligament injury

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Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

Signs and symptoms of a posterior cruciate ligament injury may include:

  • Mild to moderate pain in the knee
  • Rapid onset of knee swelling and tenderness (within three hours of the injury)
  • Pain with kneeling or squatting
  • A slight limp or difficulty walking
  • Feeling of instability or looseness in the knee, or the knee gives way during activities
  • Pain with running, slowing down, or walking up or down stairs or ramps

Most people with a posterior cruciate ligament injury don't feel a "pop" — the classic sign of an ACL tear — at the time of the injury. Signs and symptoms may be mild or vague, and you might not even notice anything wrong. Over time, the pain may worsen and your knee may feel more unstable. If other parts of the knee are affected, your signs and symptoms will likely be more severe.

References
  1. Curtis C, et al. Posterior cruciate ligament sprain. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/116066654-3/790081040/1678/70.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50069-9_1107. Accessed Jan. 9, 2009.
  2. Browner BD, et al. Posterior cruciate ligament injury. In: Browner BD, et al. Skeletal Trauma: Basic Science, Management and Reconstruction. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2003. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/116066654-3/790081040/1217/502.html#4-u1.0-B0-7216-9175-7..50060-3--cesec26_2762. Accessed Jan. 9, 2009.
  3. Griffin RL, et al. Posterior cruciate ligament injuries in the adult: Mechanism of injury. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2003.

DS00928

March 24, 2009

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