The Human Posterior Cruciate Ligament Complex: An Interdisciplinary Study Ligament Morphology and Biomechanical Evaluation

To study the structural and functional properties of the human posterior cruciate ligament complex, we meas ured the cross-sectional shape and area of the anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate, and meniscofemoral liga ments in eight cadaveric knees. The posterior cruciate ligament increased in cross-sectional area from tibia to femur, and the anterior cruciate ligament area de creased from tibia to femur. The meniscofemoral liga ments did not change shape in their course from the lateral meniscus to their femoral insertions. The pos terior cruciate ligament cross-sectional area was ap proximately 50% and 20% greater than that of the an terior cruciate ligament at the femur and tibia, respectively. The meniscofemoral ligaments averaged approximately 22% of the entire cross-sectional area of the posterior cruciate ligament. The insertion sites of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments were evalu ated. The insertion sites of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments were 300% to 500% larger than t...