How to Tell If You Have a Torn Ligament in Your Leg

It can be hard to tell if your leg has a ligament tear or third grade sprain. The ligament in your leg is called the posterior cruciate ligament. It has two parts which blend into one structure and is the size of your pinky finger. Your posterior cruciate ligament is located in the back of your knee and prohibits your tibia from moving too far back. Many times you won't experience pain in the leg, but in the knee instead.

Instructions

How to Tell if You Have a Torn Ligament in Your Leg

• 1

  Analyze your posterior cruciate ligament for potential damage. You won't hear a "popping" sound at the time of the injury like if you were to tear your ACL. Instead, you may experience symptoms that are vague or mild. Your injured knee may sag backwards when bent, or it may slide backwards too far. Over time, symptoms will become more noticeable as your pain worsens. If other areas of your knee are damaged or affected, symptoms will become more severe.

• 2

  Know the signs of a torn ligament in the leg. With posterior cruciate ligament injury you may notice tenderness or swelling in your knee within three hours of your injury, according to the Mayo Clinic. The swelling may cause stiffness. You may also experience pain as you kneel or squat, as you run, walk down or up stairs or ramps. You may feel some instability in your knee. You may have a slight limp or mild to moderate pain in your knee.

• 3

  Understand the causes and risk factors of a ligament tear. Your ligament can tear if you hit your shinbone hard, if your shinbone is bent too far backwards or you fall on your knee when it's bent. The posterior cruciate ligament can tear during contact sports, like soccer or football, or in motor vehicle accidents.

• 4

  Contact your doctor. Your doctor will examine your knee and confirm the diagnosis through tests like MRI or x-rays. The MRI will give your doctor detailed images of your posterior cruciate ligament. X-rays of your knee will not show the injury to your posterior cruciate ligament, but can show if your ligament tore off a piece of your bone.