What's Housemaid's Knee?

Another bursa, the infrapatellar bursa lies just below the prepatellar bursa and it also may be affected at the same time.

Bursitis in this area can be seen in plumbers, carpet layers, electricians, and other people for whom long-term kneeling is an important part of the work process.

What is seen on examination is swelling in front of the kneecap. There may also be redness and heat. Tenderness occurs if pressure is applied. Also, bending the knee increases the pain felt in front of the kneecap.

Continue Reading » What's Housemaid's Knee?

Plica Syndrome Of The Knee: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Diagnosis of Plica Syndrome

Diagnosis of plica syndrome can be very challenging. Many other conditions that cause similar symptoms must be ruled out and then plica syndrome becomes a diagnosis of exclusion. Although the plica can be seen in MRI the mere presense of the plica does not mean it is causing a problem. The goal of imaging is to show fibrosis in the plica or hyperintense areas and to exclude other pathologic changes. Imaging is not always helpful in diagnosing the syndrome. The best way to diagnose plica syndrome is through arthroscopic surgery which "fixes the problem" by removing the offending plica and confirms the diagnoses at the same time. However, surgery is not the first line of treatment and conservative treatment is usually tried first.

Continue Reading » Plica Syndrome Of The Knee: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Knee

How are MCL Injuries in Athletes Treated?

Treatment of an isolated MCL injury in an athlete rarely requires surgical intervention. Usually rest and anti-inflammatory medications followed by rehabilitation will allow patients to resume their previous level of activity. All MCL injuries, however, are not created equal. Therefore, the time for an athlete to return-to-play is highly variable and dependent on the severity of the injury.

Grade I injuries usually resolve without complication. They are typically managed with rest, ice, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications until the knee is pain-free to examination or routine activities. Most athletes with a grade I MCL tear will be able to return to their sport within 1-2 weeks following their injury.

When a grade II MCL sprain occurs, a hinged knee brace is commonly used to protect the knee from valgus forces. Nonoperative treatment also ensues with icing, nonsteroidal medications, and controlled rehabilitation. Athletes with a grade II injury can return to activity once they are not having pain to palpation or stressing of the MCL with a valgus force. Athletes can often return to sports within 3-4 weeks after their injury, but may remain in a protective hinged brace with contact sports.

When a grade III injury occurs, the pain usually significant in the acute post-injury period. Athletes usually require a hinged brace locked in extension and crutches to protect against weightbearing for 1 to 2 weeks. As the pain resolves, the brace can be unlocked to allow range-of-motion as tolerated. Gradual weightbearing can be initiated as well. Once the athlete can comfortably flex the knee to 100 degrees, elliptical and stationary bicycle riding can begin. Light running can begin once the athlete has regained their quadriceps strength compared to the opposite side, and sporting activity can follow as long as the athlete remains pain-free. Complete rehabilitation from a grade III MCL tear can range from 6 weeks to 4 months.

For more helpful information on “sports injuries” and issues, please visit SportsMD Media Inc. SportsMD is the most trusted resource for sports health and fitness information for people engaged in sports everywhere. We have assembled the sports industry’s leading Doctors and health experts – each sharing valuable, practical advice to keep you playing injury-free.

Continue Reading » Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Knee

Patellar Tendonitis: Jumper's Knee

What may increase my risk of patellar tendonitis as an athlete?

The cause of patellar tendonitis in athletes is often multifactorial. However, some factors that may increase the risk of this injury include:

• Overuse, particularly with recurrent jumping activities.
• Inadequate conditioning or stretching - an abnormal length-tension relationship and compliance of the thigh and calf muscles can increase strain on the patellar tendon and increase the risk of injury.
• Obesity - small increases in weight place dramatically increased stress on the kneecap and extensor mechanism. In fact, a gain of one pound can manifest as 8 to 10 more pounds of force on the knee with certain activities.
• Patella alta - a "higher than normal" kneecap position may increase the strain and risk of injury to the patellar tendon.

Continue Reading » Patellar Tendonitis: Jumper's Knee

What Is Runners Knee?

By Asheesh Bedi, M.D.

Runner's knee is a term used to describe a constellation of symptoms of knee pain that is frequently encountered in running athletes. Other terms that have been used to describe this condition are "anterior knee pain", "chondromalacia patella", or "patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS)". Runner's knee involves the kneecap, quadriceps tendon, patellar tendon, and the associated soft tissues that are critical to extension of the knee. Historically, "runner's knee" was attributed to irritation and softening of the cartilage lining on the undersurface of the kneecap ("chondromalacia"). More recently, however, it has been recognized that overloading of the underlying ("subchondral") bone can be a substantial source of pain, as it has a rich nerve supply. The soft tissues and fat pad in the front knee can be causes of pain as well.

Continue Reading » What Is Runners Knee?

Meniscus Tears

A Meniscus tear can present in various ways. Sometimes a "popping" sensation is experienced by the athlete during a traumatic event. There is usually significant pain along the joint line on the side of the tear (medial or lateral). Sometimes the athletes can continue to walk on the knee, while other large tears may cause too much pain to allow for weightbearing. Sometimes the tear pattern can cause a portion of the meniscus to become entrapped between the joint surfaces or within the notch of the knee. In these cases, the knee is often locked and the athlete cannot flex or extend the knee. The classic signs to look for with a torn meniscus include:

• Pain, often along the joint line of the knee
• Swelling ("effusion" in the joint) often develops due to inflammation and/or bleeding from the injury
• Inability to fully extend or flex the knee without discomfort
• Locking or catching of the knee
• Weakness of the leg, particularly the quadriceps muscle. This may be evident when trying to perform a straight leg raise or walk up and down stairs.

Continue Reading » Meniscus Tears

Common Function and Disfunction Of The Knee

The knee joint is one of the major weight bearing joints, it has to cope with walking, running, bending, jumping and lifting objects. It also works in conjunction with the hip & ankle joints, assisting in static erect posture (standing). So not only does the knee joint need to offer stability & weight support, but it must also offer considerable mobility. It is no surprise then that it is one of the most commonly injured joints in the human body.

With a torn ACL, there is increased play in the joint allowing shearing forces across the cartilage surface, and leading to progressive tearing of the cartilage discs (menisci) and breakdown of the joint surface. Over time, this breakdown leads to degenerative arthritis.

Continue Reading » Common Function and Disfunction Of The Knee

What Causes Knee Snapping?

When you're working out, or playing your favorite sport, a snapping sensation within your knee can cause pain and frustration, and can lead to buckling or giving way, falling, and eventually, damage to the cartilage surfaces of the joint. The snap results when some structure within the joint is momentarily caught between the moving bones, tension is applied and is then suddenly released, much like plucking a guitar string.

6. If you don't see a doctor at this point, the repetitive snapping of an internal derangement can damage the articular cartilage of the joint and eventually result in arthritis. Therefore, if conservative treatments fail to promptly relieve pain and snapping, to prevent permanent joint damage, arthroscopic surgery is usually required, to remove the source of the snapping.

Continue Reading » What Causes Knee Snapping?