⚕️FREE MSRA PODCAST –Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Tear

🎧 Your high-yield revision audio for mastering PCLtears — for the MSRA, exams, or on the go.

🧠Key Learning Points

📌Definition

• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tear = injuryto the main ligament that stabilises the back of the knee, preventing the tibiafrom moving backwards relative to the femur

• PCL provides up to95% of posterior knee stability

📌Causes & RiskFactors

• Direct blow to the front of the knee (e.g.“dashboard injury” in car crashes)

• Hyperextension injuries

• Falling hard onto a bent knee

• High-impact/contact sports (football, rugby)

• Previous PCLinjury increases re-injury risk

Mnemonic: DHFSA — Dashboard, Hyperextension,Fall (bent knee), Sports, Accidents

📌Pathophysiology

• Force exceedsPCL’s tensile strength → partial or complete tear

• Posterior tibialdisplacement = loss of knee stability

• Hamstrings/gravitypull tibia backwards in absence of PCL

📌Symptoms &Clinical Features

• Knee pain, often with swelling and a sensation of instability(“knee might buckle”)

• Difficulty bearingweight

• Instability especially with walkingdownhill/stairs

• May be lessdramatic than ACL tears (often less “pop”)

📌DifferentialDiagnosis

• ACL tear

• Medial/Lateralcollateral ligament tears (MCL/LCL)

• Meniscal tear

• Patellardislocation

• General kneeinstability

• Osteoarthritis (inchronic cases)

📌Diagnosis

• Physical exam:

 – Posterior drawer test (most sensitive)

 – Posterior sag test (Godfrey’s test)

• MRI: gold standard for assessingligament/tissue injuries and grading severity

• X-ray: rules out fractures (especially tibialplateau avulsion)

📌Management

• Conservative for most isolated, mild/moderatetears:

 – PRICE/PRICER: Pain relief, Rest, Ice,Compression, Elevation, early Rehabilitation

 – Physiotherapy: emphasise quadriceps strengthening (quads = key fordynamic stability)

 – Bracing orcrutches for some injuries

• Surgical:

 – Reserved forsevere/complete tears, multi-ligament injuries, avulsion fractures, orpersistent instability

 – Procedure = PCLreconstruction (using tendon grafts)

Mnemonic: "Quadsfor PCL" — quad strength is vital in rehab!

📌Prognosis &Complications

• Good prognosis with early, focused rehab — manyregain full function

• Untreated/unstableknees risk chronic pain, instability, and earlyosteoarthritis

• Complications: Patellofemoral/medial arthrosis,chronic knee pain

• Commitment torehab is crucial for long-term outcome

📎MSRA Resources forPosterior Cruciate Ligament Tear

📝 Revision Notes: https://www.passthemsra.com/topic/posterior-cruciate-ligament-tear-revision-notes/

💬 Accordion Q&A Notes: https://www.passthemsra.com/topic/posterior-cruciate-ligament-tear-accordion-qa-notes/

🧠 Flashcards: https://www.passthemsra.com/topic/posterior-cruciate-ligament-tear-flashcards/

🚀 Rapid Quiz: https://www.passthemsra.com/topic/posterior-cruciate-ligament-tear-rapid-quiz/

🎓 Full Quiz: https://www.passthemsra.com/quizzes/posterior-cruciate-ligament-tear/

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