What is PCL testing?
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Healthcare provider often perform a posterior drawer test to assess the function of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)—one of the four ligaments of the knee. If your healthcare provider suspects a PCL tear, the posterior drawer test is the best test to diagnose it.
How reliable is Lachmans test?
The sensitivity of the prone Lachman test was 70% and the specificity was 97%, resulting in a positive likelihood ratio of 20.17 and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.32. The positive predictive value was 94% and the negative predictive value was 80%.
What is the gold standard test for ACL tears?
The gold standard in ACL injury evaluation is diagnostic arthroscopy3,4; however, the diagnostic accuracy of clinical diagnostic tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is debatable. Because of the frequency of knee injury,3 MRI is a common diagnostic tool used for imaging and diagnosis.
What is the best test for ACL?
The Lachman test is the most accurate test for detecting an ACL tear. Magnetic resonance imaging is the primary study used to diagnose ACL injury in the United States. It can also identify concomitant meniscal injury, collateral ligament tear, and bone contusions.
What is a positive drawer test?
This test is done on your uninjured knee first to compare and check for differences. If the tibia, or shinbone, has more movement, or if the ligament is loose compared with the other knee, the anterior drawer test is considered to be positive.
What is posterior sag knee?
A torn PCL allows the free tibia to slide posteriorly under the fixed femur, creating the posterior sag sign. A positive sag sign is characteristic of PCL injuries and results when gravity pulls the tibia downward greater than 10 mm.
How do you test for PCL damage?
In the “posterior drawer test,” the doctor pushes the shin back while the knee is bent 90 degrees. If the tibia gives more than 5 millimeters, the PCL is likely torn. Your doctor may also perform other tests to help determine whether the ligament is fully torn, partially torn or simply sprained.