Natural history study of athletes with PCL-deficient knees

Few natural history studies exist of patients with isolated posterior cruci ate ligament (PCL) injuries. This report reviews a study of 133 patients fo llowed prospectively for a mean of 5.4 years from the time of their PCL inj ury. The mean subjective score was 84 of 100 points, and the scores were no t statistically different for different grades of PCL laxity. The injured P CL usually healed with some laxity, but the laxity did not increase with ti me from injury. There was a trend toward medial joint arthrosis, but it was not related to the grade of PCL laxity. Regardless of PCL laxity, 1/2 of p atients returned to the same sport at the same level, 1/3 returned to the s ame spelt but at a lower level, and 1/6 could not return to the same sport. The results of this study can be used as a baseline for evaluating surgica l treatment methods.