2. ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR
• Anterior Cruciate Ligaments (ACL)-front of the knee
• Posterior Cruciate Ligaments (PCL)- back of the
knee
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. CAUSES OF ACL TEARS/SPRAINS
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Changing direction rapidly
Stopping suddenly
Slowing down while running
Landing from a jump incorrectly
Direct contact or collision
7. SYMPTOMS OF AN ACL TEAR/SPRAIN
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Pain with swelling
Loss of full range of motion
Tenderness along the joint line
Discomfort while walking
8. 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.
9. 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
10. 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
11. 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.
12. 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
13. 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
14. 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.
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