Comprehensive review of posterolateral corner (PLC) knee injuries covering anatomy, biomechanics, clinical examination, classification, imaging, and surgical management — addressing how to identify these injuries, why they matter for cruciate reconstructions, and when and how to treat them.
When evaluating any PCL or ACL injury, actively test for PLC involvement with the dial test at both 30° and 90° — a missed grade III PLC injury will doom your cruciate reconstruction to failure through dramatically increased graft loads.
If varus malalignment exceeds approximately 3°, correct it with a high tibial osteotomy before any PLC reconstruction, or the reconstruction will fail under the same mechanical overload.
Comprehensive review of posterolateral corner (PLC) knee injuries covering anatomy, biomechanics, clinical examination, classification, imaging, and surgical management — addressing how to identify these injuries, why they matter for cruciate reconstructions, and when and how to treat them.
When evaluating any PCL or ACL injury, actively test for PLC involvement with the dial test at both 30° and 90° — a missed grade III PLC injury will doom your cruciate reconstruction to failure through dramatically increased graft loads.
If varus malalignment exceeds approximately 3°, correct it with a high tibial osteotomy before any PLC reconstruction, or the reconstruction will fail under the same mechanical overload.