Sports Med
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Alpine skiing is an increasingly popular recreational sport worldwide. While the overall injury rate has declined and the pattern of injury changed over the years, the incidence of knee injuries has not changed substantially and accounts for 20 to 30% of all alpine skiing injuries. Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries are the most common in skiing, accounting for 15 to 20% of all skiing injuries and 60% of knee injuries in skiers. ⋯ Isolated posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury is rare in skiing, constituting less than 1% of all knee injuries in most series. Careful physical examination must be employed to rule out associated arcuate ligament complex injury and more complex patterns of instability. Most isolated PCL injuries are treated nonoperatively with a programme of initial immobilisation in extension, ice, protected weight-bearing, early range-of-motion exercises and progressive isometric strengthening.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)