BY: S H A N N O N DAV I S

CRUCIATE LIGAMENTS

ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR

• Anterior Cruciate Ligaments (ACL)-front of the knee• Posterior Cruciate Ligaments (PCL)- back of the

knee

THE ACL

• Runs diagonally in the middle of the knee and prevents the tibia from sliding in front of the femur

• Provides stability to the knee

ACL INJURY

• Can be sprained or torn • Athletes who play high demand sports • About ½ of all injuries to the ACL occur along with

damage to other structures in the knee

ACL SPRAINS

• Grade 1 Sprain-he ligament is mildly damaged, slightly stretched, but is still able to help keep the knee joint stable.• Grade 2 Sprain-Stretches the ligament to the

point where it becomes loose; partial tear of the ligament • Grade 3 Sprains-Most commonly referred to as

a complete tear of the ligament. The ligament has been split into two pieces, and the knee joint is unstable.• Most injuries are complete tears

CAUSES OF ACL TEARS/SPRAINS

• Changing direction rapidly• Stopping suddenly• Slowing down while running• Landing from a jump incorrectly• Direct contact or collision

SYMPTOMS OF AN ACL TEAR/SPRAIN

• Pain with swelling• Loss of full range of motion• Tenderness along the joint line• Discomfort while walking

ACL TEAR/SPRAIN TREATMENT

• Nonsurgical Treatment- Physical Therapy, wearing a brace, and resting the knee.• Surgical Treatment-replace your torn ligament

with a tissue graft for a new ligament to grow on. Grafts come from patellar tendon, hamstring tendons, and quad tendons. • Up to a 6 month recovery period after surgery.

THE PCL

• Located in the back of the knee. • One of several ligaments that connect the femur • Keeps the tibia from moving backwards too far

PCL INJURY

• Often subtle and more difficult to evaluate than other ligament injuries• Occurs along with injuries to other structures in

the knee such as cartilage, other ligaments, and bone

PCL SPRAINS

• Grade 1 Sprains- Mildly damaged and slightly stretched, but is still able to help keep the knee joint stable.• Grade 2 Sprains- Stretches the ligament to the

point where it becomes loose; partial tear of the ligament• Grade 3 Sprains- A complete tear of the

ligament, split into two pieces, and the knee joint is unstable.

CAUSES OF A PCL TEAR/SPRAIN

• A direct blow to the front of the knee • Bent knee hitting a dashboard in a car crash, or a fall

onto a bent knee in sports

• Pulling or stretching the ligament• Twisting or hyperextension

SYMPTOMS OF A PCL TEAR

• Pain with swelling that occurs steadily and quickly after the injury• Swelling that makes the knee stiff and may cause

a limp• Difficulty walking• The knee feels unstable

PCL TEAR/SPRAIN TREATMENT

• Nonsurgical Treatment• RICE, immoblization, and physical therapy

• Surgical Treatment• Rebuild the ligament by replacing the torn ligament

with a tissue graft. This graft is taken from another part of your body, or from another human donor. It can take several months for the graft to heal into your bone.

• Procedure. Surgery to rebuild a PCL is done with an arthroscope using small incisions. Arthroscopic surgery is less invasive. The benefits of less invasive techniques include less pain from surgery, less time spent in the hospital, and quicker recovery times.

•

ACL PICTURES

PCL PICTURES