In the article, we will consider why the kneecap flies out.
The patella, or patella, is a rounded bone that protects the joint from various injuries. It is held by strong connective tissue formations - ligaments that create a stable position for it. When the kneecap flies out, a ligament rupture or sprain can occur, and during an injury, a person feels acute pain. After that, it can fall into place on its own, but in most cases it pops out again with further bruises or falls. Such an injury is characterized by severe pain, it can appear with sharp and incorrect turns of the leg, requiring immediate medical attention.
Reasons
When the patella flies out, there are various reasons for such an injury. Why is this happening? The weight of the patient influences the occurrence of injury: if it is too large, this is an additional load on the joint, which creates additional risk.
The main reasons are:violation of the articular surface; incorrect immobilization; primary dislocation, which violates tissue integrity; ignoring rest mode during recovery; untimely therapy or neglected disease.
Provoking factors
Among other things, if the kneecap flies out, this problem may appear due to various factors.
These include: high articular mobility; muscle imbalance; atrophy of the femoral muscle; high standing of the patella; knee deformity; ligament weakness; increased loads; curvature of the legs; age. When a person has weak muscles, they cannot hold the cup in the normal position. The same applies to links. Excessive knee mobility also often causes problems. Age also affects the condition of the cup itself, muscles and bones. Cartilage and joints are erased over time, various disorders appear - osteochondrosis, osteoporosis. All this increases the likelihood of a problem. With strong physical exertion, the cup usually pops up not immediately - after prolonged exposure and lack of rest for the limbs.
Symptoms
By what signs can you determine that the patella flies out? Most often, acute pain appears immediately, which intensifies during movement. Mostly the joint is slightly bent, its volume is increased, there is a feeling of the beginning of its loss. Severe swelling of the knee. What other symptoms indicate a problem with the patella? The main signs that the patella flew out andgot back up: hemorrhage; edema; a hole below or above the knee; tingling sensation when walking. If the knee pops out, the pain radiates up to the thigh, and the knee itself also hurts. There may be bruise marks. The leg does not move at all, the knee swells quickly.
Degrees of violation
There are three degrees of violation:
- The first is characterized by non-permanent pain, a very mobile calyx, the patella is able to return itself to the correct position.
- At the second degree, a significant deformation occurs, severe pain is felt.
- The third is characterized by severe and sharp pain, increased deformity and limited movement.
Outwardly, you can see changes in the shape of the knee, because the patella has moved. But this is far from always noticeable, but only with the second and third degrees of pathology.
So, the kneecap flies out. What to do?
Diagnostics
Specialist examines limbs: both sick and he althy. This is important in order to make an accurate diagnosis. It is also necessary to conduct magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound diagnostics.
The doctor prescribes an X-ray of the legs. Thanks to this, additional injuries (fractures, cracks) are excluded.
An interesting note: in the presence of partial ruptures, the patella moves slightly downward, with complete ruptures, it moves strongly upwards. In addition to such diagnostic methods, the specialist is obliged to pay attention to other circumstances: the age and body weight of the patient,articular mobility.
Naturally, the doctor should receive information about such factors: posture disorders; flat feet; localization of pain; location of the cup asymmetrical muscle strength. When all information is received, treatment is prescribed.
If a person's kneecap flew out and got back up, and this happens periodically, the symptom needs a more thorough diagnosis. The joint is examined using MRI and ultrasound, such methods will allow visualizing the condition of the ligaments, soft tissues, tendons and muscles. Based on the results of the study, treatment is prescribed.
Treatment
What action to take? It often happens that the patella flew out and fell into place, or the patient sets the knee on his own. But this does not eliminate the cause of the pathology. In this case, you should not delay going to the doctor in order to avoid increasing destabilization, deformation and destruction of the knee. The tactics of treatment for a protruding knee joint is determined only by a specialist, it depends on the degree of damage to the ligaments, menisci, the presence of marginal fractures in the calyx, the condition of the cartilage tissue, the integrity of the surfaces of the joints.
When the kneecap flies out, the treatment of such a violation lasts on average about six months. If there is no serious damage, then in such cases, conservative methods are usually used, which can help a lot.
Conservative methods
Choosing a scheme for conductingtreatment, primarily resort to conservative methods.
To reduce pain in an acute condition, ice should be applied to the joint, this can be done as first aid if the injury is acute.
You should immediately contact a specialist to clarify the degree and cause of the violation, especially important is the exclusion of rupture of ligaments and other defects in the integrity of tissues around the joints. This determines further therapy.
First time, you need to completely at first, then partially reduce the usual load on the limb. This is achieved by wearing orthoses, using elastic bandages, bandages or orthopedic devices.
If a person has hemarthrosis, an articular puncture is done with further aspiration.
The inflammatory process will help to remove anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs - Ibuprofen, Voltaren.
Severe pain syndrome can be relieved with analgesics.
As soon as the condition improves at least a little, you need to be like physiotherapy and massage. A complex of physiotherapy exercises is required (primarily static exercises), due to the restoration of muscle balance. This mostly applies to the extensor muscles.
When the knee protrudes, physical activity is a must. To reduce re-dislocation, you need to train your muscles.
Surgery
In the absence of the effect of conservative methods or too pronounced degree of damage to the joints near the tissues or articularstructures, when the process is running, the specialist may advise to be treated with surgical methods.
Currently, there are many ways of such an intervention for problems with the patella. However, treatment using most of the techniques quite often causes the appearance of relapses of the pathology and does not exclude the occurrence of secondary intra-articular changes.
If the cause of the patella being constantly displaced is too much tension on the outer ligament compared to the inner ligament, the treatment is to cut the ligament with an arthroscope. Such an intervention is well tolerated by patients, does not need long-term recovery, and is minimally invasive. If the cup of the knee joint has fallen out and a lateral displacement has occurred, a lateral incision is made. In a number of institutions, a thermocautery is used to prevent bleeding into the joint with the formation of hemarthrosis.
Prevention and recommendations from doctors
To prevent problems that cause a kneecap to fly out, you need to immediately see a doctor in case of an acute dislocation and take measures. Experts recommend doing this even when the patella itself has returned to its place. During treatment, you should listen to the doctor in everything and not violate the limited loads. After the acute condition has been relieved, it is very important to continue training and exercising, since the knee can only be stabilized with normal muscle tone in the lower leg and thigh. At the same time, it is necessary to gradually increase the load, having previously discussed this withdoctor. He will recommend the most optimal rehabilitation measures and special exercises for each patient.
