The test simply involves your practitioner inspecting and manipulating your knee to assess its movement and level of resistance.
Healthcare provider can also perform different versions of this test on joints like those of the shoulders and ankles.
Purpose of the Test
The posterior drawer test is part of anormal knee exam.
Ngampol Thongsai / EyeEm / Getty Images
This injury rarely happens in isolation, with nearly eight out of 10 PCL tears occurring withother ligament damage.
Severe injuries could also include cartilage damage, nerve injuries, or knee fractures.
A “positive” result in this case likely indicates aPCL tear.
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MedlinePlus.Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury - aftercare.
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American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
OrthoInfo.Combined knee ligament injuries.
Bedi A, Musahl V, Cowan JB.Management of Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: An Evidence-Based Review.
J Am Acad Orthop Surg.
2016;24(5):277-89. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-14-00326
National Institutes of Health.
Medline Plus.Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury.
Vaquero-Picado A, Rodriguez-Merchan EC.Isolated Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tears: an Update of Management.EFORT Open Reviews.
2017;2(4):89-96. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.2.160009
