title: Conservative treatment of isolated injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament in athletes.
abstract: We assessed arthroscopically 22 young athletes with an isolated acute posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury. Four had significant damage to the articular cartilage of the medial femorotibial compartment and were advised not to resume sports. Three underwent PCL reconstruction because of a reparable meniscal tear or instability. The other 15 were treated conservatively and resumed sport. At an average follow-up of 51 months, one had developed arthritic symptoms due to newly-developed severe chondral damage to the medial femoral condyle, but none of the other 14 had developed arthritic symptoms and most remained athletically active. Severe chondral damage should be seen at an early arthroscopy. Knees with an isolated injury to the PCL with concomitant articular damage may be successfully managed by conservative treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Osaka Rosai Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horibe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012865:Skiing / Q000293:injuries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology