Patella is an important part of the body that is present at the bottom of thigh bone (femur). When the kneecap loses its normal alignment as a result of the strike or an injury, it leads to a serious problem called patella dislocation. Most of them are dislocated outwardly i.e. laterally, where the ligaments and muscles inside the knee are damaged and overstretched.

The problem arises when patella is hit by a force and the knee is bent. Patella dislocation is common among people who are associated with any kind of sports - whether they used to play ice hockey, soccer or gymnastics, they are prone to having different sports injuries. It usually happens away from midline for which, the patient has to see a sports doctor in order to identify the symptoms and possible treatment.

Causes

According to an orthopaedic specialist in Singapore, patella dislocation is the result of a traumatic incident (particularly a direct blow or twisting) caused to the knee. But, science has found various other factors leading to dislocated patella.

Here are some of them:

·       Shallow femoral groove

·       ITB, biceps femoris muscles, tight lateral retina culum, hip flexors and vastus lateralis

·       Weak inner quadriceps muscles

·       Maltracking or patellorfemoral joint hyperlaxity

When it comes to taking care of the knees and other related parts, athletes are recommended to be more concerned and knowledgeable about all problems arising in their legs. Since knee pain can be caused by a variety of reasons, their care turns out to more crucial than the rest of the body parts. It’s just about keeping track of the causes and factors affecting their performance

Symptoms

As far as the symptoms of patella dislocation are concerned, here is what every knee doctor should tell to the patients:

·       To treat a dislocated kneecap, it may self-relocate on its own or else, patients might have to seek professional services

·       Visible translation at the outer side of the knee

·       A wobbly kneecap and swelling

·       Knee pain related to active straightening and weight-bearing activities

·       Weakened quadriceps muscles

·       Instability or struggle to balance weight

·       Tenderness around the kneecap

Diagnosis

To diagnose patella dislocation, the knee doctor pays attention on its signs and symptoms associated with ligament and muscle damages. To begin with, they use MRI, X-ray or ultrasound to confirm if their diagnosis is moving in the right direction or they have to focus on other factors as well.

Treatment

Considering various situations in patella dislocation, an orthopedic specialist suggests to follow these treatments with respect to the need:

1.     Patella Relocation:

Initially, patients can wait until patella is relocated on its own or they can visit a sports doctor for the respective efforts.

2.     Physiotherapy:

After a few hours from relocation, patients might experience a significant improvement in their knees. Though, they have to be careful in movement for at least eight to twelve weeks as they have to wait until there are lesser chances of recurrent dislocation. As far as physiotherapy is concerned, patients can expect the following benefits:

·       Reduction in inflammation and knee pain

·       Strong lower limbs- pelvis, hip and calves

·       Normalized retina culum and muscle lengths

·       Strong knee- quadriceps (VMO)

·       Minimum chances of re-dislocation

·       Improvement in knee movement and performance i.e. better landing, running, walking, hopping and squatting

·       Normalized joint movement

·       Improved proprioception, balance and agility

3. Surgery:

Most of the patients, having severe patella dislocation, need well conservative treatments in order to get rid of the problem. Although, some cases can be treated with initial treatment, there are some serious dislocated problems that create the need of knee surgery. To repair significant bones or treat ligament damages, a sports doctor suggests to immediately do an MRI to identify the intensity and possible cure for the damage. This way, it would be quite easy to determine the right course of action.

Now that you know about patella, we hope you understand it is a serious concern, requiring specialists help in Singapore.

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