The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the femur and tibia, and one between the femur and patella.[1] It is the largest and most complicated joint in the human body.[2] The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus (i.e. a pivotal hinge joint),[3] which permits flexion and extension as well as a slight medial and lateral rotation. Since in humans the knee supports nearly the entire weight of the body, it is the joint most vulnerable both to acute injury and the development of osteoarthritis.
What Are Some Common Knee Injuries and Problems?
Arthritis: There are some 100 different forms of arthritis, rheumatic diseases, and related conditions. Virtually all of them have the potential to affect the knees in some way; however, the following are the most common: Osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis. Other rheumatic diseases.
Chondromalacia: Chondromalacia (pronounced KON-dro-mah-LAY-she-ah), also called chondromalacia patellae, refers to softening of the articular cartilage of the kneecap. This disorder occurs most often in young adults and can be caused by injury, overuse, misalignment of the patella, or muscle weakness.
Meniscal Injuries: The menisci can be easily injured by the force of rotating the knee while bearing weight.
Cruciate Ligament Injuries : Cruciate ligament injuries are sometimes referred to as sprains.
Medial and Lateral Collateral Ligament Injuries : The medial collateral ligament is more easily injured than the lateral collateral ligament. The cause of collateral ligament injuries is most often a blow to the outer side of the knee that stretches and tears the ligament on the inner side of the knee. Such blows frequently occur in contact sports such as football or hockey.
Tendon Injuries : Knee tendon injuries range from tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon) to a ruptured (torn) tendon.
Osgood-Schlatter Disease : Osgood-Schlatter disease is a condition caused by repetitive stress or tension on part of the growth area of the upper tibia (the apophysis).
Iliotibial Band Syndrome : Iliotibial band syndrome is an inflammatory condition caused when a band of tissue rubs over the outer bone (lateral condyle) of the knee.
Osteochondritis Dissecans : Osteochondritis dissecans results from a loss of the blood supply to an area of bone underneath a joint surface.
Plica Syndrome : Plica (pronounced PLI-kah) syndrome occurs when plicae (bands of synovial tissue) are irritated by overuse or injury.
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What Types of Exercise Are Most Suitable for Someone With Knee Problems?
Three types of exercise are best for people with arthritis:
Range-of-motion exercises help maintain normal joint movement and relieve stiffness. This type of exercise helps maintain or increase flexibility.
Strengthening exercises help keep or increase muscle strength. Strong muscles help support and protect joints affected by arthritis.
Aerobic or endurance exercises improve function of the heart and circulation and help control weight. Weight control can be important to people who have arthritis because extra weight puts pressure on many joints. Some studies show that aerobic exercise can reduce inflammation in some joints.
Treatment: What is the nonoperative treatment for plica syndrome in athletes?
Usually the first-line of treatment for plica syndrome in athletes includes rest from strenuous or precipitating activities. Physical therapy can be initiated to strengthen and stretch the muscles and soft tissues around the knee. In addition, oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and steroid injections can help alleviate the symptoms of plica syndrome by decreasing the inflammation and synovitis. If symptoms of pain and swelling completely resolve, a gradual rehabilitation program is started with a controlled return to competition. Steroid injections should be used judiciously, however. Occasionally, athletes may have a “flare” reaction after the injection with increased pain and swelling in the knee joint that resolves after 48 to 72 hours. Diabetics may have to monitor their blood sugar levels more closely due to a risk of hyperglycemia. In addition, there is a small risk of local “fat atrophy” and slight skin discoloration at the site of the injection.
Hey everybody so I require some suggestions about plica strap inflammation if anybody has experienced this! It started hurting me in july throughout summer time instruction and even now is leading to me some pain..my quad is weak and im in PT however it doesnt appear to assist strengthen it. I obtained a cortizone shot four months ago also it helped, but even now really feel the discomfort from time to time. I am not operating whatsoever both but have attempted to a quantity of times. I missed my entire xc period so im on the finish of myself and just wanna make observe seas!! subsequent action is surgury to obtain rid belonging to the inflammation. anybody been right here before?
Typically, the plica reconstruction surgical treatment is definitely an arthroscopic technique and frequently can consider spot on an outpatient basis. The medical patient may well have 1 of 3 feasible anesthetics: a nearby numbing only the knee, a regional in which every little thing beneath the waist is numbed, along with a basic which obviously implies which you can be asleep all through the procedure. a quantity of little incisions close to the knee permit the insertion from the arthroscope with digital camera to detect whether or not it would be to resects the plica back again to in which it no extended receives from the method of structures, or when the plica has extended in to the femoral joint space, debridement may well be needed via among the other incisions. With fibrile extending inside of a drape more than the medial femoral condryle there may well be just the disruption from the tight strap to resolve the problem. Afterward, sutures would near the incisions and discomfort killers provided for that postoperative return home.