How do you know if you strained your PCL?

How do you know if you strained your PCL?

How do you know if you strained your PCL?

One sign that the PCL is torn is that your knee may appear to droop backwards in a way that isn’t natural when your doctor straightens out your leg. During the exam, they may press on your shin when your knee is bent at a 90-degree angle to find out whether or not your PCL has been hurt.

Can a strained ACL heal?

The ACL cannot heal on its own because there is no blood supply to this ligament. Surgery is usually required for athletes because the ACL is needed in order to safely perform the sharp movements that are required in sports.

How do you fix a strained ACL?

What’s the Treatment?

  1. First aid. If your injury is minor, you may only need to put ice on your knee, elevate your leg, and stay off your feet for a while.
  2. Medications. Anti-inflammatory drugs can help to reduce swelling and pain.
  3. Knee brace.
  4. Physical therapy.
  5. Surgery.

How can you tell the ACL or PCL is torn?

The symptoms of ACL injuries and PCL injuries are essentially the same: pain, swelling, and knee instability. Where they tend to differ is the extent of the injury and the severity of symptoms. Because it’s smaller and weaker than the PCL, the ACL is more likely to sustain a complete tear.

How do you treat a sprained PCL?

Nonsurgical Treatment of Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

  1. Using crutches at first, then gradually walking with more weight on the knee.
  2. Having a machine or therapist move your leg through its range of motion.
  3. Temporarily wearing a knee brace for support.
  4. Strengthening your thigh muscles to help make the knee more stable.

How bad is a PCL sprain?

Although it is larger and stronger than the ACL, the PCL can be torn. PCL tears make up less than 20% of injuries to knee ligaments. Injuries that tear the PCL often damage some of the other ligaments or cartilage in the knee, as well. In some cases, the ligament can also break loose a piece of underlying bone.

How long does an ACL strain take to heal?

Rehabilitation and return to normal function after surgical repair of an ACL tear can take six to nine months. There needs to be a balance between trying to do too much work in physical therapy returning strength and range of motion and doing too little.

Can a sprained ACL get worse?

While some symptoms occur immediately after injuring the ACL, such as swelling and tenderness, others may appear or get worse in the days following the injury, such as bruising.

How long does a partially torn PCL take to heal?

A grade 1 sprain typically takes 10 days to heal completely while a grade 2 sprain takes about 3 weeks. Depending on the severity, an athlete can return to sport from anywhere 2-8 weeks after the injury but fortunately there are no other injuries to the knee to complicate the recovery.

How bad is a torn PCL?

PCL tears make up less than 20% of injuries to knee ligaments. Injuries that tear the PCL often damage some of the other ligaments or cartilage in the knee, as well. In some cases, the ligament can also break loose a piece of underlying bone.