What should you know about PCL injury in football?

A direct blow to the front of a bent knee, a tackle, a fall or forceful knee movement can strain or tear the posterior cruciate ligament. Swelling, pain, stiffness and difficulty decelerating or changing direction may follow. The severity cannot be judged by whether you can finish the match, because adrenaline and a partial injury can mask symptoms. Other ligaments, cartilage or bone may also be involved, so a sports assessment matters.

Leave the pitch if the knee is painful, unstable or swelling. Protect it from further contact and twisting, and follow advice about support, ice, elevation and weight bearing. Arrange a medical assessment rather than testing it with another training session. Rehabilitation may restore motion, quadriceps strength, balance and football movements in stages. [Knee Bracing](/treatments/non-surgical-orthopedics/knee-bracing/) and [Physiotherapy](/treatments/physiotherapy-and-rehabilitation/physiotherapy/) may be part of an individual plan.

Get urgent assessment if the knee is deformed, locks, swells rapidly or cannot bear weight. Immediate help is needed for a cold, pale or numb foot, new weakness, severe calf pain or breathing difficulty. Do not return to football because the pain has settled if the knee still gives way or you cannot control landing, stopping and direction changes.

Ask which structures are injured, what training is permitted now, whether a brace is needed, and which strength, balance and movement tests define readiness. Ask how contact drills and competitive play will be reintroduced and what symptoms should send you back for review.