Knee: posterior cruciate ligament injury: practice question

A Orthopaedics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Orthopaedics · Knee: posterior cruciate ligament injury

Sample item

A footballer falls on a flexed knee with the foot plantar flexed. On examination the tibia sags backward at 90 degrees of flexion. Which ligament is injured?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Posterior cruciate ligament

A posterior sag sign and a positive posterior drawer test indicate PCL rupture, commonly from a dashboard injury or a fall on the flexed knee. The PCL is the primary restraint to posterior tibial translation, and isolated injuries are usually managed non-operatively.

Option by option

  • A. Posterior cruciate ligament (correct)

    Correct. Posterior sag points to a PCL injury.

  • B. Medial collateral ligament

    MCL injury gives medial opening on valgus stress.

  • C. Lateral collateral ligament

    LCL injury gives lateral opening on varus stress.

  • D. Anterior cruciate ligament

    ACL injury gives anterior translation with a positive Lachman test.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Orthopaedics questions

Questions about this Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is A, Posterior cruciate ligament. A posterior sag sign and a positive posterior drawer test indicate PCL rupture, commonly from a dashboard injury or a fall on the flexed knee.

Why is "Medial collateral ligament" not the answer?

MCL injury gives medial opening on valgus stress.

Why is "Lateral collateral ligament" not the answer?

LCL injury gives lateral opening on varus stress.

Why is "Anterior cruciate ligament" not the answer?

ACL injury gives anterior translation with a positive Lachman test.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Knee: posterior cruciate ligament injury in Orthopaedics. The PCL is the primary restraint to posterior tibial translation, and isolated injuries are usually managed non-operatively.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Knee: posterior cruciate ligament injury?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.