Dislocation Of The Knee Joint

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Dislocation of the knee joint

The patella is more prone to dislocation compared to all other bones of the knee joint. Especially professional athletes face such injuries.

In addition, dislocation of the knee is possible. It means the displacement of the surfaces of the bones that form the joint. In the event of a dislocation of the knee joint, the upper end of the lower leg and the lower end of the femur change their usual position, losing contact with each other. With such an injury, the joint capsule and ligamentous apparatus can be damaged. A dislocation of the patella or patella is a displacement of the bones that result in an abnormal position. However, they are not damaged. The integrity of the bones is not compromised.

Content:

• Causes of dislocation of the knee joint
• Knee dislocation symptoms
• Types of knee dislocations
• Treatment and diagnostics

Causes of dislocation of the knee joint

Dislocation of the knee joint can be caused by the following factors:

• Physical activity - such an injury is not uncommon for athletes. You can dislocate your knee or patella while cycling, jumping, dancing or gymnastics. Professional athletes usually suffer from this type of injury as habitual dislocation. It is repeated periodically and requires urgent treatment, as it is the cause of many serious complications;
• Car accident - In a head-on collision, the front of the body is most affected. At the same time, the knees, as a rule, take a large load due to high speed;
• Falling or jumping from a significant height, in which the weight of the body falls on the knee joint. Severe bruising of the legs leads to a sprain of the ligaments, which in turn causes a dislocated knee;
• Genetic predisposition - it is expressed in a weak ligament structure, lack of muscle strength, which does not fix the patella properly, dysplasia;
• Various diseases, such as arthrosis or arthritis;
• Knee injury - after severe damage, the tissue structure collapses, the ligaments weaken and the likelihood of a dislocated knee increases.

Knee dislocation symptoms

1. Sharp pain. Depending on the cause and nature of the injury, it can cover the anterior region of the knee joint, part under the patella, or the entire knee. The pain is often accompanied by a feeling of instability, although in some cases it may be absent.
2. A characteristic click or crunch. It usually occurs when a dislocation causes the cruciate ligaments to rupture.
3. Joint immobility. The patient cannot move the leg, make flexion and extension movements. Any attempt to bend the knee results in severe pain.

4. Change in the shape of the leg and joint. The limbs as a result of dislocation can lengthen or shorten. This is due to a change in the position of the bones of the joint.
5. Knee flexion position. This symptom is observed with dislocation of the patella. The joint also increases in volume.
6. Swelling. It is the body's defensive response to injury. Tumor cells prevent possible external influences on the site of injury;
7. Sensory impairment. When feeling the knee joint, the patient may not experience any sensations. It is caused by numbness of the knee tissue. The foot loses sensitivity if blood vessels are compressed during the dislocation. At the same time, it becomes colder, and the skin becomes pale.
8. No pulse below the knee

Types of knee dislocations

• Acute dislocation of the patella. This type is accompanied by rupture of the joint capsule. During injury to the knee joint, the patient experiences acute pain, instability and looseness of the patella. If the dislocation occurs as a result of a jump, the person may fall. Acute patellar dislocation is common in sports and dancing.
• Old dislocation. This type includes injuries that occurred several weeks or more than a month ago. It is much more difficult to cope with it than with an acute dislocation.
• Habitual dislocation. It is formed against a background of primary or acute. The habitual dislocation is repeated in the same place, and it can be caused by even the lightest injury. The displacement of bones occurs with active movements or lifting weights. An incomplete habitual dislocation is possible, when there is a feeling of instability in the knee joint.

Depending on the origin, traumatologists also distinguish congenital or acquired dislocations. The classification is carried out by the nature of the displacement of the bones. So, there are lateral, rotational and vertical dislocations.

Treatment and diagnostics

If you suspect a dislocated knee, see your doctor. He will correctly diagnose according to the results of the examination and radiography. The most common treatment is conservative.

But first, the traumatologist performs joint reduction under anesthesia. For this, the muscles must be completely relaxed. The doctor flexes the leg at the hip joint and unbends at the knee. With the correct procedure, the bones should take the necessary position. After reduction, an X-ray is taken. This is necessary in order to exclude the possibility of the formation of osteochondral bodies. Reduction is completed with the imposition of a plaster cast to fix the damaged joint.

Recovery from an injury takes several weeks. The patient will be able to fully move in a month. Rehabilitation of the knee joint is performed with the help of massage of the quadriceps muscle and electrical procedures.

In some cases, dislocation requires surgery. The operation cannot be avoided if the radiography showed the presence of osteochondral bodies or there were changes in the knee joint, which in the future will lead to repeated dislocation.

Author of the article: Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich | Orthopedist

Education: diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received in 2009 at the Medical Academy. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012 completed postgraduate studies in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the City Clinical Hospital named after Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery.