Posterior cruciate ligament 578901 225822923 2008-07-15T15:52:07Z 216.196.244.90 additional PCL educational information {{Infobox Ligament | Name = {{PAGENAME}} | Latin = ligamentum cruciatum posterius genus | GraySubject = 93 | GrayPage = 342 | Image = Knee diagram.svg | Caption = Diagram of the knee | Image2 = | Caption2 = | From = [[posterior intercondylar area]] of the [[tibia]] | To = [[Medial condyle of femur|medial condyle]] of the [[femur]] | MeshName = Posterior+Cruciate+Ligament | MeshNumber = A02.513.514.600 | DorlandsPre = l_09 | DorlandsSuf = 12492130 | }} The '''posterior cruciate ligament''' (or PCL) is one of the four major [[ligament]]s of the [[knee]]. It connects the [[posterior intercondylar area]] of the [[tibia]] to the [[Medial condyle of femur|medial condyle]] of the [[femur]]. This configuration allows the PCL to resist forces pushing the tibia posteriorly relative to the femur. ==Injury== The posterior [[drawer test]] is used by doctors to detect injury to the PCL. The posterior cruciate ligament is a section of the patellar tendon joining medially to the lateral quadriceps femoris. Surgery to repair the Posterior Cruciate ligament is controversial due to its placement and technical difficulty.<ref>{{cite website |author = Jonathan Cluett, M.D. |url = http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/kneeinjuries/a/pcl.htm |title = Injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) |publisher = about.com |date = 2003-08-05 |accessdate = 2006-11-11 }}</ref> ==Additional images== <gallery> Image:Gray348.png|Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ligaments. Image:Gray349.png|Head of right tibia seen from above, showing menisci and attachments of ligaments. Image:Gray352.png|Capsule of right knee-joint (distended). Posterior aspect. </gallery> ==References== <references/> ==External links== * {{eMedicineDictionary|Posterior+cruciate+ligament}} * {{MedicalMnemonics|2081|||}} * {{NormanAnatomy|lljoints}} ({{NormanAnatomyFig|antkneejointopenflexed}}) * http://www.cincinnatisportsmed.com/csm/index.asp?ipath=patedu/knee/pcl.htm [[Category:Ligaments]] [[Category:Pelvic limb anatomy]] {{Joints of lower limbs}} {{musculoskeletal-stub}} [[fr:Ligament croisé postérieur]] [[pl:Więzadło krzyżowe tylne]] [[pt:Ligamento cruzado posterior]]