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Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) function tests

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) function tests

  • posterior drawer test
    • the patient is lying supine with the test hip flexed to 45 degrees, the knees flexed to 90 degrees and the foot in a neutral position
    • examiner sits on the patient's foot and places both hands behind the proximal tibia with the thumbs on the tibial plateau o posterior force is applied to the proximal tibia
    • increased posterior tibial displacement compared to the opposite (normal) side is indicative of a partial or complete PCL tear (1)
    • Click here for a video of posterior draw test
  • posterior sag test
    • patient is on supine position with the hips flexed to 45 degrees and the knee flexed to 90 degrees
    • normally the medial tibial plateau extends 1 cm anteriorly beyond the femoral condyle in this position.
    • in PCL rupture the tibia rocks or sags back on the femur in this position (1)

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