Dorothy FarrarPatellaluxation
The patella (kneecap) jumps out of the sliding bearing of the thigh bone when the patella is dislocated . Dislocations towards the outside of the knee often occur. A tear in the support straps on the inside of the knee can also occur as a side effect. The bone or the cartilage of the kneecap and the thigh bearing can also be chipped off.
What is a patellar dislocation?
The kneecap transmits the power of the front thigh muscles. The patella transfers it via the patella tendon to the lower leg. The knee joint is injured when the patella is dislocated.
The kneecap twists and jumps out of its lead. It then no longer sits in the middle of the knee joint. In most cases, the kneecap slides back to its middle position on its own. A luxating patella is relatively rare. In some cases, it occurs as a result of a sports accident .
causes
A luxating patella can be caused by excessive force on the kneecap, for example when the knee is bent and the thigh muscles are tight. Nevertheless, it occurs only very rarely with a normal knee reconstruction. Those affected often have certain risk factors.Anatomical malformations can destabilize the muscles or the connective tissue. For example, if someone has pronounced knock knees, the lateral pull on the kneecap is more pronounced due to this malposition. However, it can also be a general systemic disease in which there is a weakening of the connective tissue.
There is also the congenital luxation of the patella. With certain malpositions, the kneecap has already jumped out since birth and is set back in place. If a patellar dislocation occurs, the risk factor of a recurrence is increased. This is because the kneecap becomes more unstable with a patellar dislocation.
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of a patellar dislocation:
Severe pain is an accompanying symptom of patellar dislocation. If the patella has jumped out, those affected can usually no longer move their lower legs. You adopt a relieving posture and do not put any weight on the affected leg. A luxated patella can also lead to smaller bone fractures in the femur or the kneecap. Then the bone fragments drift loose in the joint. There is also a bruise.
Likewise, the ligaments on the kneecap can be torn. This situation causes severe pressure pain. An acute traumatic dislocation causes not only severe knee pain but also a significant joint effusion. If the kneecap slides back into the starting position on its own, this is also referred to as a spontaneous reduction. However, this does not repair the damage caused.
A dislocation leaves damage to bones, cartilage and ligaments. This damage must be treated. The first luxation of the patella usually occurs as a result of an accident. It is also known as traumatic kneecap dislocation. If further patellar luxations follow, they are referred to as chronic recurrent patellar luxations.
A luxating patella is very noticeable, as there is sudden pain in the knee and the affected person notices how the kneecap slides away. It can no longer be stood on the leg. Even after a spontaneous reposition, the knee is severely swollen. It can already be recognized externally when the kneecap is not in the correct position or has not relocated properly. The kneecap must be set or the knee must first be immobilized so that the position of the patella can stabilize again.
Diagnose
The sudden painful buckling of the knee joint is recognizable in the case of a luxated patella. Furthermore, the bruise and possibly the displaced patella are visible. The knee joint effusion is usually bloody when it is punctured. By means of an X-ray examination , possible hereditary causes of the patellar luxation can be shown. An X-ray can also be used to determine what damage has occurred to the bone, tendons or cartilage of the knee joint. If the luxating patella is more of a suspected diagnosis after spontaneous repositioning, then an MRI examination should also be carried outtake place. This means that any cartilage that has broken off, tears in the retaining straps or misalignments in the plain bearing can be diagnosed even more precisely.
treatment and therapy
The first measure in the event of a luxated patella is repositioning, the rapid setting of the kneecap. Since the pain is often very severe, this adjustment is done with a parallel administration of painkillers . If the luxating patella does not cause excessive deviations in shape, conservative therapy can help. It consists of physiotherapeutic treatment steps that stabilize and strengthen the muscles.
After a timely realignment of the kneecap, it makes sense to have the knee joint effusion drained. This relieves pressure, which has a pain-relieving effect. It relieves the cartilage and prevents pressure damage. Fat eyes floating on the blood when the blood is punctured indicates accompanying injuries in the bony area.The aim of every therapy is to center the kneecap in its sliding bearing in a stable manner. This can be done with a special bandage that holds the patella in place. Sometimes a thigh cast is also necessary. Surgical intervention is necessary for repeated dislocations, chips or tears.
prevention
The risk of luxating the patella can be reduced by consistent training of the thigh muscles. In the case of malformations, the dislocation cannot be prevented. Sports accidents are also caused by overstraining the knee joint.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.