DR. ONG KEE LEONG

Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury

While a PCL injury can significantly inhibit movement and disrupt your daily tasks, it is generally treatable, even without surgery. It is crucial to consult an orthopaedic specialist as early as possible to avoid complications later on.

Book Appointment

What is Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury?

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is one of the four main ligaments that provide stability in your knee joint. The PCL is located in the back of your knee joint and connects the thigh bone to your shinbone.

A PCL injury is a rupture of the ligament tissues that connect the shinbone and the thigh bone. PCL injuries are less common compared to other knee ligament injuries.

Grades of PCL Injuries

  • 1st Grade: Stretched but not torn PCL or microscopic tears
  • 2nd Grade: Partially torn with moderate symptoms (partial knee instability)
  • 3rd Grade: Completely torn PCL with severe symptoms (extreme knee instability)

How Are PCL Injuries Treated?

Non-Surgical Options

If only your PCL is injured, non-surgical treatment options are generally adequate to promote healing (especially for less severe PCL tears).

Some of these treatment options include:

  • Resting your knee
  • Applying ice to your knee helps to reduce swelling
  • Compressing your knee using an elastic bandage
  • Elevating your knee above your heart
  • Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Physical therapy

Surgical Option

Surgery is rarely performed on PCL injuries due to the technical difficulty of the surgery. This is because of the location of the PCL in the knee. However, surgical reconstruction of the PCL may be required for severe PCL tears (Grade 3) or if you have suffered other ligament damages apart from a torn PCL.

Surgical reconstruction of the PCL is a minimally invasive procedure that involves inserting a small, thin camera (arthroscope) into the knee through tiny incisions. Your surgeon will be able to inspect your torn PCL clearly.

How Do You Know If You Have a PCL Injury?

  • Knee stiffness
  • Sharp pain in the knee when moving
  • Decrease in range of motion
  • Minimal swelling of the knee joint
  • The feeling of instability in the knee

How Are PCL Injuries Diagnosed?

A knee specialist will conduct a physical examination of your knee, which includes several motion tests to check for your knee’s stability, range of motion and any signs of pain.

Further imaging tests such as an x-ray or MRI scan may be performed to determine the severity of your injury and identify any other damages in your knee.

banner_img

How Do PCL Injuries Happen?

  • A violent and direct blow to the knee while it is bent
  • Falling while the knee is bent
  • An automobile accident where the knee strikes against the vehicle’s dashboard

Why Do Patients Choose Dr Ong Kee Leong?

  • Dr. Ong Is Passionate In Sports, Giving Him A Deep Understanding Of Sports-Related Injuries And How They Can Be Treated
  • Personalised And Professional Approach To Deliver High-Quality Orthopaedic Care Based On The Most Up-To-Date Literature
  • Detailed Aftercare Plan To Ensure Smooth, Long-Term Recovery
  • Fellowship Trained Surgeon With 15 Years Of Experience In Orthopaedic Conditions
  • Problem-Oriented, Well-Organised and Individualized Treatment Plans Catered To Your Specific Needs
  • Specialist In The Management Of Sports Injuries And Degenerative Conditions Of The Shoulder And Knee Joints
  • Knowledgeable And Pleasant Clinical Staff To Assist You With Your Every Need Detailed Aftercare Plan To Ensure
  • Our Care Is Conveniently Accessible At Mount Elizabeth Novena and Farrer Park Hospital
  • Minimal Waiting Time For Initial Consultation
  • Assistance With Medical Claims (e.g. Medisave & Integrated Shield Plans)

About Dr. Ong Kee Leong

Senior Consultant, MBBS (Singapore), MMed (Ortho), FRCSEd (Ortho)

Dr Ong Kee Leong is a senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon with subspecialty training in shoulder, knee, and arthroscopic sports surgery.

  • Completed a fellowship in Germany, gaining focused, hands-on exposure to complex joint conditions beyond the scope of general orthopaedic practice.
  • Served as Director of Sports Service at Changi General Hospital, managing a wide range of sports-related injuries in both recreational athletes and national-level competitors before entering private practice.
  • Subspecialty focus on shoulder and knee conditions, including arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery.
Hospital & Clinic Affiliations

Dr Ong practises at a clinic in Singapore with access to accredited hospital facilities for surgical procedures. Patients have access to diagnostic imaging (X-ray, MRI, and ultrasound), day surgery facilities for arthroscopic procedures, and structured rehabilitation services.

Please contact the clinic directly for the current practice address, nearest MRT station, and details of affiliated surgical facilities.

Patient Care Philosophy

Dr Ong’s clinical approach is grounded in a single principle: exercise and sports are highly beneficial for long-term health. This reflects a genuine belief that physical activity is central to long-term health, and that the goal of orthopaedic care is to return you to the activities that matter to you, not simply to resolve your imaging findings.

In practice, this means prioritising joint preservation wherever possible. Rather than moving quickly to joint replacement or highly invasive procedures, the focus is on treatments that protect and restore the body’s natural structures.

Every plan is shaped by what you want to do with your body, whether that is returning to competitive sport, running at weekends, or simply walking without pain.

Beyond acute treatment, Dr Ong incorporates injury prevention and load management guidance into his consultations. Understanding why an injury occurred, and how to modify training to reduce the risk of recurrence, is part of the long-term care approach.

Have an enquiry about your condition or a certain treatment?

Fill up the form and we will get back to you soon!

Make An Enquiry

    Prefer to talk? Call our clinic directly to make an enquiry at (65) 6884 6788

    (Please ask for Dr Ong Kee Leong)

    or Whatsapp us at (65) 9652 5022

    We are available 24 hours

    our clinics

    Visit Us Today

    Mt Elizabeth Novena
    • (Ask for Dr Ong)
    other practice locations
    Farrer Park Hospital
    Mt Alvernia Medical Centre

    "Moving your body the way nature intended is a freedom not well appreciated until it is lost. We are passionate about getting you back in the game, and staying in the game. Our team is fully committed to returning you to the life and activities you love."

    Dr. Ong Kee Leong

    Billing & Payment

    Consultation fees are charged based on length of consultation, and start from SGD$200 (within 30 minutes).

    Modes of Payment

    We accept the following modes of payment:

    • Cash
    • PayNow & PayLah
    • All major Credit Cards

    If you are insured and would like to use a Letter of Guarantee (LOG) from the major insurers in Singapore, please contact us and our friendly clinic staff will assist you and provide more information if required.

    Can I Claim Through My Medisave Account? (For Singaporeans and PR)

    Yes, you can. Our Clinic is an accredited day surgery clinic by the Ministry of Health. Singaporeans and Permanent Residents may use their Medisave for eligible orthopaedic inpatient procedures and hospitalizations.

    The exact amount would depend on the complexity of the procedure. If you have any enquiries, feel free to speak to our friendly clinic staff about using your Medisave account.

    Integrated Shield Plans (Singaporeans and PRs)

    Yes, patients who have purchased Integrated Shield plans with riders for co-insurance and deductibles will be able to use them in our clinic for eligible procedures. For more information, contact us to find out if your procedure is claimable.

    The 5 Approved Integrated Shield Insurers are:

    • NTUC Income’s IncomeShield and Enhanced IncomeShield
    • American International Assurance International Co’s (AIA) HealthShield Gold
    • Great Eastern Life Assurance Co’s SupremeHealth and SupremeHealth Plus
    • Prudential Assurance Co’s PRUShield
    • AXA Shield
    back to top