What is the evidence for conservative treatment in PCL injuries?
Summary
Patient Population:
Case studies: Described elite male athletes, ages ranged from 21-35 years of age. Prospective studies: Males, ages in their late 20s, with sports-related Grade I or II injuries. Mechanisms of injury were reported inconsistently.
Intervention:
Specific descriptions of interventions are not reported – only described as “non-operative”.
Comparison:
There were a total of 47 studies identified for inclusion in the present review. 17 of these examined outcomes associated with non-surgical intervention(s) (3 case studies, 14 prospective studies). Mean time to follow-up assessment: 1 to 13.4 years.
Outcome:
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Return to Activity: 12 of 14 prospective studies provided information about return to activity following treatment. The review authors suggest that, based on the results of the prospective studies included in their review, the majority of individuals treated conservatively, may be able to return to a similar level of activity – particularly, given that injuries were sustained by young and healthy individuals.