I hurt my knee in a quad bike or dune bashing accident. Could it be a PCL tear?

Why desert sports injure the PCL

In Qatar, weekends at Sealine, the Inland Sea and desert camps often include quad biking, dirt bikes and dune bashing. When a quad bike flips or stops suddenly, the bent knee can hit the handlebars or the ground. In a 4x4 rolling or landing hard off a dune, a passenger's knee can strike the dashboard. Both drive the shin backwards, the classic way the PCL tears. Higher speeds also raise the chance of combined ligament injury or knee dislocation.

Check these first

• Is the foot warm, pink and the same as the other side?
• Can you move the ankle and toes and feel touch on the foot?
• Is the calf soft rather than tense and very painful?
• Does the knee look normal in shape?

If any answer is no, go to emergency care immediately. Desert locations can be far from hospital, so call for help early rather than waiting to see if it settles.

Signs pointing to a PCL injury

Ache behind the knee, moderate swelling, pain when kneeling and a feeling of insecurity walking downhill or down stairs in the following days are typical. Outer knee pain, marked wobbliness or foot numbness suggest additional injuries.

What to do next

Keep weight off the leg if it is painful, use ice, compression and elevation, and avoid driving back yourself if the right knee is injured. Book an assessment within one to two weeks, or sooner if the knee feels unstable. At Aman Hospital in Doha, Dr. Gelber examines all the ligaments and nerves and arranges X-rays and MRI. Keep any accident or emergency reports for insurance.