More About Your Injury
A kneecap can be knocked out of the groove when the knee is hit from the side.
A kneecap can also slide out of the groove during normal movement or when there is twisting motion or a sudden turn.
Kneecap subluxation or dislocation may occur more than once. The first few times it happens will be painful, and you will be unable to walk.
If subluxations continue to occur and are not treated, you may feel less pain when they happen. However, there may be more damage to your knee joint each time it happens.
Responses To Aaron Rodgers Limited In Practice Christian Watson Still Out
GB needs to put Watson on the trading block. As Bud Grant used to say, it doesnt matter how good you are if youre not available.
We really need these guys back and healthy for the big showdown with the Lions next week.
The softest qb and receiver in the NFL.
philmccracken says:December 29, 2022 at 6:33 pmWe really need these guys back and healthy for the big showdown with the Lions next week.____
Playing for a participation trophy?
If the Viking and Lions both win next week can the Packers still get into the post season with a win against the Lions the following week?
What Does A Loud Pop In The Knee Mean
The pop is actually the sound of ligaments tearing or cartilage breaking. Small bits of torn cartilage floating loose inside the knee joint can also cause catching and popping. Knee injuries are very troubling to athletes, but there are effective treatments and therapy available if an injury does occur.
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Aaron Rodgers Limited In Practice Christian Watson Still Out
The Packers had quarterback Aaron Rodgers back at practice on Thursday.
Rodgers didnt practice on Wednesday because of a knee issue, but said there wasnt any concern about his availability for Sundays game against the Vikings. He was back for a limited practice on Thursday, so that lack of concern likely remains in place.
Things dont look quite as good for wide receiver Christian Watson, however. Watson missed a second straight practice with the hip injury he picked up in last Sundays win over the Dolphins.
Cornerback Keisean Nixon and tight end were the other Packers out of practice.
Left tackle David Bakhtiari , guard Elgton Jenkins , running back Aaron Jones , and tackle Yosh Nijman were all listed as limited for the second straight day.
Common Knee Cap Injuries
The two most common knee cap injuries are:
- Dislocated Kneecap: when the kneecap is pushed out of its correct place in the patellar groove
- Broken Kneecap: where the kneecap breaks into two or more pieces
Here we will look at an overview of the causes, symptoms, treatment and recovery of each of these. You can find out more in-depth information by using the links below.
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How Is Patellar Subluxation Diagnosed
To diagnose a patellar subluxation, your doctor will bend and straighten the injured knee and feel the area around the kneecap.
X-rays may be used to see how the kneecap fits into the groove at the bottom of the patella and to identify any other possible bone injuries.
Magnetic resonance imaging may be used to visualize the ligaments and other soft tissue around the patella. Children and adolescents are sometimes not aware that theyve had a patellar dislocation. The MRI can help confirm it.
Nonsurgical treatment is recommended for the majority of people with a first-time patellar subluxation or dislocation.
Nonsurgical treatment includes:
of first-time patellar subluxation are treated conservatively, without surgery. Surgical treatment is recommended if you have a repeat episode or in special cases.
Some common types of surgery for repeat episodes of patellar subluxation or dislocation are:
Do You Need Surgery For A Dislocated Knee
A dislocated kneecap might need surgical intervention if the injury is severe and if there is considerable damage surrounding structures such as cartilages, ligaments, and tendons. Surgery can be done in two ways:
· Arthroscopic surgery
This type of surgery uses a small camera inserted inside the knee joint. The inside of the joint will be projected through a screen to help assess, locate, and determine the extent of damage to the structures.
· Reconstructive surgery
This is done to repair the damaged structures inside the knee joint and to reposition the kneecap back to its place.
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How Serious And Painful Is A Dislocated Kneecap
Kneecap dislocation is usually not a serious injury. However, it still depends on how the injury occurred and the severity of the damage to the ligaments and tendons that hold it on the knee joint.
In most mild cases, the kneecap can be repositioned and returned to its usual position through proper intervention. It can also return to its place by itself. Some individuals can go back to their usual activities after the injury.
If you have a severe kneecap dislocation, you might hear a popping sound accompanied by sudden swelling and sharp pain in the front of the knee during movement or when pressure is placed on it.
It will also be difficult to move your leg and your leg might get stuck in a certain position. Your kneecap will also look misaligned and not in its proper place.
What Is The Treatment For Patellar Instability
Step-by-step nonsurgical treatment entails:
- If your childs kneecap dislocates traumatically, go to an emergency room if the knee remains out of place. Most of the time it will slide back into the groove with little to no assistance.
- If the knee is still out of place, our doctors might be able to relocate the kneecap in its groove. If not, we may recommend sedation to help put the kneecap back in place.
- After the kneecap is relocated, your child will be placed in a knee immobilizer to keep the knee straight for two weeks. Your child can walk around using the knee immobilizer and crutches. Rest, ice, and elevation of the leg and knee help to reduce pain and swelling.
- At the two-week follow-up, your child will be examined again and transitioned to a different type of knee brace that allows for more motion in the knee.
- Rehabilitation exercises and a visit to physiotherapy address strengthening the core, hip, and thigh muscles and work on regaining complete motion in the knee.
- The final steps of rehabilitation include more specific training to help with a return to sports. Recovery times vary but usually take around three months.
- If the patella remains unstable with motion and continues to slide to the side, or if pain and swelling have not improved, an MRI may be done to look for damage to the cartilage or soft tissue structures of the knee that occurred from the dislocation.
Surgical intervention involves:
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Key Points About Knee Dislocation
- A dislocated knee occurs when the leg bones are forced out of alignment at the knee joint.
- Common causes of knee dislocations include falls, contact sports, and car accidents.
- A knee may be dislocated if there was a pop sound at the time of the injury, and if there is extreme pain, bruising and swelling in the knee.
- Knee dislocation is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate care.
- Seek emergency medical attention if you think you may have a dislocated knee.
Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction
The medial patellofemoral ligament pulls the kneecap toward the inside of the leg. When the ligament is weak or damaged, the kneecap can dislocate toward the outside of the leg.
MPFL reconstruction is an arthroscopic surgery involving two small incisions. In this operation, the ligament is reconstructed using a small piece of tendon taken from your own hamstring muscle or from a donor. It takes about one hour. You usually return home the same day wearing a brace to stabilize your knee.
The brace keeps your leg straight while walking. Its worn for six weeks. After six weeks, you begin physical therapy. Most people can resume sports and play activities four to seven months after MPFL reconstruction.
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Direct Trauma To The Knee
The direction of the trauma to the knee and the position that the leg is in when the knee is hit will determine which way the kneecap dislocates.
- From the inside or outside: Direct trauma to the inside of the knee will usually cause the kneecap to dislocate outward, while direct trauma to the outside of the knee may cause the kneecap to dislocate inward.
- From above or below: Trauma to the knee from above or below while the knee is bent can cause the kneecap to dislocate into the knee joint, which is a more serious form of a dislocated kneecap.
Treatment For A Fully Dislocated Knee
If the kneecap has been completely dislocated, the first step is to put the kneecap back in its proper place in the groove. This process is called a reduction. Reduction can happen spontaneously . If is not spontaneous, your childs doctor will have to apply gentle force to push the kneecap back in place.
A dislocation can damage the undersurface of the kneecap or the outside of the femur, which can lead to additional pain and popping symptoms. Surgery is commonly used to correct this condition.
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What Is Patellar Subluxation
- The patella normally sits in a groove at the center of the bottom end of the thigh bone.
- A patellar subluxation means that the kneecap has briefly slid out of its normal place in that groove.
- In most cases the kneecap moves towards the outside of the body when it slides out of place.
- This can be a one-time event, or it can happen multiple times.
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Patellar Instability And Dislocation
Your knee also might dislocate without an injury because thereâs a problem with the structure. Thatâs called patellar instability. Itâs most common in children and teens, though it can happen in adults, too. Structural issues might include:
- The kneecap rests in a notch at the end of the thigh bone called the trochlear groove. If that notch is very shallow or uneven, itâs easier for the patella to slide out of place.
- Your ligaments are looser, making your joints more flexible and likely to dislocate. This is especially true of girls.
- Cerebral palsy and Down syndrome can cause muscle weakness and balance problems that affect kneecaps.
- Some children are born with unstable kneecaps.
No matter the cause, symptoms of kneecap dislocation are the same.
If itâs only part of the way out, youâll get a brace to keep you from moving your knee. Within 1 or 2 weeks, youâll start physical therapy to strengthen your thigh muscles. You can expect about 1 to 3 months for recovery.
If it pops totally out, your doctor will first gently push it back into place. In some cases, you might also need surgery to repair damage to your thigh bone or the cartilage behind your knee.
If it keeps happening, you may need surgery to tighten the ligaments and help keep your kneecap on track.
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Knee Popping By Activity
Knee Popping When Extending: Knee popping when you straighten your knee is usually due to gas bubbles , plica syndrome or patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Knee Popping and Pain When Bending: If you get knee popping and pain when bending your knee e.g. squatting down, it is most likely due to a problem with the knee cartilage such as a meniscus tear or chondromalacia patella.
Knee Popping When Extending And Bending: If you get knee pain and popping with both knee flexion and extension, it is likely that there is damage to the joint surface such as cartilage damage or knee arthritis. If there is no pain, it is likely to be gas bubbles popping.
Knee Popping With Twisting: Sudden knee pain and popping when you twist is usually doe to a knee ligament injury, most often an ACL injury and/or MCL tear. If the knee swells up or feels unstable after hearing a pop as you twisted, seek medical attention immediately.
Knee Popping When Walking: Almost all the possible causes of knee popping that weâve looked at here can cause knee pain and popping when walking, be it arthritis, runners knee, cartilage tear or ligament injury. There will usually be other symptoms associated here that will lead to a clearer knee pain diagnosis.
You Cant Straighten Your Knee Or Leg
If you have trouble straightening your leg or it hurts to do so, you probably have a serious knee injury.
To test this, start in a seated position and try to lift your lower leg using your own leg muscles. You may still be able to bear weight and walk slowly and carefully without assistance, but will probably require assistance to lift your lower leg and fully extend your injured knee, says Dr. Brown.
Patella fractures, quadriceps tendon tears, and patellar tendon tears all tend to be associated with an inability to straighten the leg.
Use a knee immobilizer to hold the knee in a straight position and help with pain relief. This also makes it easier to move about until your appointment with an orthopedic surgeon, he adds.
Another test is to lie down and try to straighten your leg. The goal is to get your knee to lie flat. This might be difficult or impossible to do due to the pain, but what you should watch out for is a total inability to straighten your knee.
Some of the problems that could cause a locked knee include meniscus tears or a torn ACL. The key is to determine whether you cant straighten your knee due to sheer pain or physical blockage. If you feel blocked, then we recommend getting in touch with a doctor sooner rather than later.
On the flip side, you might have trouble bending your knee. If your knee feels stuck in any way, and the feeling doesnt go away within a few hours, you could be experiencing something more severe.
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What Is Currently Recommended
Experts often disagree on the issue of whether surgery should be done. Conservative treatment is typically used if it’s the first time you have dislocated your kneecap. If it happens a second time or if it keeps happening, surgery is usually considered. Other factors that also play a role include:
- Which conservative treatments have already been tried
- Whether cartilage or bone have been damaged
- Whether you have misalignments or other risk factors
- Age and sports-related goals
Its a good idea to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of surgery with your orthopedist and then consider them on your own.
Three Ways To Treat A Pop In The Knee
While the above orthopaedic conditions should be directly diagnosed and treated by a specialist, we have provided a few common recommendations knee doctors make when knee popping occurs. Talk to your physician before attempting to treat any injury yourself.
R.I.C.E.: For many injuries, to the knee or another part of the body, doctors suggest using the R.I.C.E. first. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation can reduce inflammation and pain and promote faster healing.
Proper immobilization: In addition to rest and compression, your physician may advise that you use a brace to prevent your knee from moving and to help you reduce discomfort. Depending on the type of brace and the particular patients living conditions, crutches may also be prescribed.
Rehabilitation exercises: Sometimes, a pop in the knee indicates instability, and thus the knee requires stronger surrounding muscles to support it during activity. Strengthening rehabilitation exercises, either given by your knee specialist or a physical therapist, can assist in stabilizing the area. While performing these activities, make sure to report any sensations of discomfort to a medical professional immediately. On a similar note, do not exercise too much at once, as overexertion of the area may worsen the condition.
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Who Is At Risk For A Dislocated Kneecap
Kneecap dislocations typically occur in active teenagers and young adults from the ages of 14 to 20. They are most common in teenage athletes who participate in contact sports, such as football, and those suffering simple falls from a wide variety of activities, such as gymnastics, dancing, or cheerleading. They are also common in children with a family history of knee instability that leads to dislocation.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Dislocated Kneecap
If you have dislocated your kneecap you may experience:
- Obvious distortion of the kneecap, which may look out of place or appear to be at an odd angle.
- Severe pain in the knee and sudden swelling and bruising.
- Inability to bend or straighten your leg.
- Being unable to walk.
- A painful popping sensation in your knee.
You should never try and relocate a dislocated kneecap by yourself as you may cause further damage.
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How To Stop Knee Cracking And Popping
If youre having any type of pain, swelling, catching, or locking, those are warning signs that you need to see a doctor, Dr. Slabaugh says. But if youre not having any pain , then doing exercises on your own is very appropriate.
To get started, youll need a few pieces of equipment you can easily find online.
Youll need a long foam roller like this one to do the IT band release.
To alleviate the awkward noises and keep potential injuries at bay, try these exercises, courtesy of Eun Jung Decker at React Physical Therapy, three times a week for maximum results.