• Experiencing Calf Pain? Learn More About Medial Gastrocnemius

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    If you have a sharp or sudden pain in your calf muscle, you may be experiencing medial gastrocnemius. Commonly referred to as “tennis leg,” medial gastrocnemius is an injury found especially in middle-aged and older athletes. In this condition, there is a tearing of the medial head of the gastrocnemius (calf muscle), which occurs when you overexert or suddenly accelerate. Pain may immediate and sharp, making walking or putting pressure on the leg difficult. Despite initial severity, this injury rarely leads to surgery and can heal in weeks.

    Symptoms of Medial Gastrocnemius

    Tennis is a highly-competitive and demanding sport, and it’s easy to overestimate your own coordination or turnaround speed, especially as your muscles begin to weaken in middle-age. Although medial gastrocnemius can happen to anyone, it’s most common when you accelerate in irregular or sudden ways, putting undue stress and strain on your body. Tennis leg is also common in high-intensity sports like basketball, soccer, or running.

    Being the weakest muscle in the calf, the gastrocnemius is particularly susceptible to injury. In most cases, symptoms are instantly known: intense, piercing pain in the calf. You may feel a sensation of snapping. You may feel like you were kicked or “shot”. There can even be a concurrent popping sound. The injury is tender to the touch, may swell significantly, and may develop some bruising. Walking and moving the leg may seem uncomfortable, and can further agitate the tear. In more severe cases, there may be damage to surrounding tendons. In milder cases or strains, you may only feel pain when using the leg to “push off” in some way.

    Treating Medial Gastrocnemius

    If you experience medial gastrocnemius, immediate attention is critical to ensure faster recovery. Stopping all activity, immobilizing and/or elevating the leg, and regularly icing the calf can help at first. Consider using crutches, a boot, or even something moderately stabilizing like an ACE wrap. Consultation with an orthopedic specialist like board certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician Dr. Stacie Grossfeld is crucial, as soon as possible. Doctors will most likely make a diagnosis through an MRI or ultrasound.

    Upon diagnosis, your doctor can establish a treatment plan. For medial gastrocnemius, there are three degrees of injury: first degree (stretch injury), second degree (slight tear), and third degree (total rupture). The determined degree of severity will shape your recovery length and process.

    In most first and second-degree cases of medial gastrocnemius, activity can be gradually introduced through physical therapy in a matter of weeks. Some physical therapy activities can include passive and dynamic stretching, massage, ultrasound, and rehabilitative exercises. For third degree cases, surgery or more long-term treatment may be required.

    If you are struggling with symptoms of jumper’s knee, Orthopaedic Specialists can help! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the other experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today.

    Patient of the Month Trey Mattingly

    Posted by Orthopaedic Specialists

    Meet this month’s patient in the spotlight Trey Mattingly!

    Currently, Trey is a junior in High School and plays baseball for the South Spencer Rebels. However, in the fall he tore his ACL playing football.

    “During our second varsity game of the season, I ran down the field on kickoff and ran over a kid trying to get the receiver. I was reaching for the receiver when a kid grabbed me, and I twisted and heard a loud pop.”

    “Luckily, Dr. Grossfield was great. We were skeptical that I would not be ready for spring baseball season but I knew with hard work, dedication and a great surgeon I would be ready. And we did it! I recovered months earlier than predicted. I put on about 15 pounds of muscle, and am stronger, faster, and more determined than ever.”

    Trey has always been very athletic and was even in a T-ball league at the age of 2!

    “I was 2 years younger than most of the kids but I was tall and I knew how to hit and run better than all of them. I loved baseball so much I use to sleep with my glove.”
    “I’ve always been very competitive. I love some great competition though because that’s what makes you better. If someone is better than me I work harder than them to better myself. Playing baseball you make tons of friends and I think of my team like family.”

    Presently Trey plays left field, 3rd, as well as pitches from time to time.

    “I can play pretty much any position. But I like left field the most. I work hard and I’m determined to get to the next level.”

    Jumper’s Knee

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    Jumper's Knee, Patellar Tendinitis, Louisville Orthopaedic Specialists

    Jumper’s Knee

    Jumper’s knee, or patellar tendonitis, is a knee pain caused by tiny tears in the patellar tendon. This tendon connects the knee cap to the lower leg and is often strained by jumping activities, sports, or even going up-and-down stairs. Keep reading to learn about diagnosis and treatment for this common overuse injury.

    Diagnosis of Jumper’s Knee

    If you think you may be suffering from jumper’s knee, you should get a physical exam by a qualified medical professional. If you have a positive diagnosis, you will likely be experiencing pain to palpation of the tendon. You may also have swelling in that region and it may hurt when you extend your knee. Most importantly, the pain you experience with jumping is very localized and easy to reproduce.

    Typically the first imaging study obtained is a simple x-ray to rule out any pathology involving the patella, such as arthritis. X-rays will also show calcification with the patellar tendon itself that could be the cause of pain.

    An MRI scan is also used to help with the diagnosis. Many times a MRI scan will help determine the extent of the pathology. Some cases of jumper’s knee are an inflammation of the patellar tendon. In more advanced cases, the tendon actually changes its composition and becomes tendonotic. In the worse case, there are small tears within the tendon. There were be pain over the patellar tendon in the area where the tendon is inflamed. Sometime there will be micro tears in the tendon. The tears can be identified via a MRI scan.

    Treatment of Jumper’s knee

    Treatment for jumper’s knee ranges from rest to surgery. The first step to recovery is to identify what activity causes the problem. The inciting activity needs to be stopped. Relative rest is important. Switching to another sporting activity during the recovery phase is key. The next step is to reduce the inflammation to the patellar tendon.

    Reducing the inflammation can be completed by using a patellar tendon strap. The strap will decrease the force on the injured tendon. Ice is also important. There is no time limit on how often to ice or how long the ice should be applied–as much as tolerated is the recommendation.

    Medication

    An oral anti-inflammatory medication can also help reduce the inflammation. That being said, as with any medication, there are side effects. So medication use should be limited.

    Injection Therapy

    A cortisone injection should never be administrated in the patellar tendon, as it could cause the tendon to rupture.  However, one injection option is the use of PRP. PRP is short for Platelet Rich Plasma, a form of regenerative therapy. PRP is obtained by drawing blood for the arm of the patient. The blood is then placed in an in-office centrifuge. The platelets and the plasma are separated from the rest of the blood cells. The platelets are full of anti-inflammatory factors and proteins. By injecting the PRP in the area of inflammation, it will heal the tendon.

    Physical therapy can also help. Your physical therapist can use different treatment modalities to reduce the inflammation. They will also identify if there are any strength deficients that need to be corrected, to help prevent the injury from occurring again.

    In advanced cases where the micro-tears are present and conservative treatment has failed, surgery is likely necessary. The surgery is done to resect the area of the damaged tendon and repair the healthy portions back to together, side-by-side.

    If you are struggling with symptoms of jumper’s knee, Orthopaedic Specialists can help! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the other experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today.

    De Quervain’s Syndrome

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    De Quervain's Syndrome, Hand Pain, Orthopedic DoctorDe Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is a painful condition that affects two tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. These tendons are located in a narrow space, almost like a tunnel. When the tendons become inflamed, they rub against the sides of the “tunnel”, causing pain and swelling. Keep reading to find out the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis.

    Symptoms of De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

    De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is characterized by pain in the base of the thumb when you make a fist, pinch or grasp. You may have difficulty moving your thumb at all, and have a generally reduced range-of-motion. Sometimes, in bad cases, you can see fluid or swelling in the area of the tendons. Without proper treatment, the pain can worsen or spread.

    De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is typically caused by repetitive activity, not a one-time traumatic event. It’s most commonly seen in people who work in factories and have a repetitive type job, or in athletes that do repetitive motions. It’s most observed in women ages 30-50, and can be caused by repeatedly lifting your child.

    Diagnosing De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

    Diagnosis of De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis occurs through a physical exam. The key physical test is the Finkelstein test. This test is performed by moving the thumb into the palm of the hand, then flexing the wrist at the same time. If it is a positive test, it will produce pain at the thumb and wrist area. In addition, X-rays are typically performed at the doctors office to rule out any significant arthritis in the area.

    Treating De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

    Treatment involves immobilization of the area with a brace or cast. The use of an oral, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication is okay, if allowed by your health care provider. It should be noted that Tylenol will not help the problem. A cortisone injection in the area of inflammation is another option.

    Instead of a cortisone shot, a PRP injection can also be given. The PRP is a natural way to reduce the inflammation, pain and swelling. PRP is made by drawing some blood from your arm. The blood is spun in an in-office centrifuge. This process separates the plasma and platelets from the rest of the blood cells. The platelet rich plasma (PRP) is then injected into the area of the inflammation. It can take 6-8 weeks of treatment to have resolution of all the symptoms.

    Physical therapy can also be useful to help reduce the inflammation. If all conservative treatment fails, there is a surgery to open up the tight tunnel where the tendons are located. This procedure takes the pressure off the inflamed tendons.

    If you are struggling with symptoms of De Quervain’s Syndrome, Orthopaedic Specialists can help! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the other experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today.

    What is a Growth Plate Fracture?

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    How does a bone get longer? Growth plates. They are responsible for bone growth. Children can experience a growth plate fracture with a traumatic injury. Read along to learn more.

    Growth Plates

    Each long bone in the body has a growth plate. The growth plate is the area where bones get longer. After children reach skeletal maturity, their growth plates close and no more vertical growth occurs.

    The growth plate itself is made up of an area of cartilage with rapid turnover. This area turns cartilage into bone and allows the bone to elongate. Most long bones in the body have two growth plates. There’s one plate at the top of the bone and one at the bottom. Long bones like the femur (the thigh bone), the humerus (the upper bone in the arm), and the tibia (the shin bone) all have two growth plates.

    However, growth rates aren’t equal in all areas of the body. For instance, the greatest area of growth in the leg occurs through the the growth plate in the femur closest to the knee joint. Growth plates also close earlier or later in different parts of the body. For example, one of the last growth plates to close is in the collar bone, while the first to close is in the elbow.

    Additionally, girls’ growth plates tend to close around age 12-14 years of age while boys’ growth plates close between 16-17 years of age. The hormones that are primarily responsible for signalling growth plate closure differ here. Estrogen is the signal for girls, while testosterone is the signal for boys.

    A Growth Plate Fracture

    A growth plate can be injured from a traumatic event. Trauma can cause a fracture to go through the growth plate, causing it to partially or completely close prematurely. If part of the growth plate partially closes due to trauma, the remaining portion of the bone can grow crooked. If the growth plate completely closes early, the bone can actually end up being shorter than the corresponding bone on the other side of the body.

    It’s not just trauma that can impede a growth plate. Repetitive use injuries can also cause damage to growth plates. Typically, though, this type of injury does not cause permanent damage to a growth plate.

    If you experience a growth plate fracture, you should see a doctor. It is very important to make sure the growth plate is lined up in an anatomical position. This will improve the chances that the growth plate will not prematurely close from the fracture.

    If you are struggling with a growth plate injury, Orthopaedic Specialists can help! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the other experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today.

    What is an AC Joint Dislocation?

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    The AC joint is located in the shoulder where two bones meet. You can experience an AC joint dislocation with some traumatic injuries. Read on to learn more.

    AC Joint

    The AC joint is located between the clavicle and acromion in your shoulder. AC stands for acromioclavicular (acromion plus clavicle). The joint has a few main parts. First, there is a capsule that helps to hold the joint together. Additionally, there are several different ligaments.

    How Does the Joint Dislocate?

    The AC joint can dislocate if you experience a direct fall on your shoulder. This commonly occurs from crashing on a bike, falling while skiing, or falling while skateboarding.

    Immediately after the trauma, you feel pain over the AC joint. It becomes difficult to raise the arm after the injury occurs. The area may also show signs of bruising. There may be a slight or large elevation of the joint area after the injury as well.

    Treating a Dislocation

    The first line treatment is to apply ice to the affected area. Ice can be kept on your shoulder as long as you can tolerate it. Initially, a sling may help to immobilize the arm too. This will help to reduce the pain because it stabilizes the injured joint. You may also want to consider anti-inflammatory medications to help reduce pain. Of course, make sure your doctor approves any medications first.

    You may find that sleep is difficult with this injury. Sleeping in an upright position may be most comfortable, as it is very difficult to sleep on your injured side. In fact, it may take up to eight weeks before you can sleep comfortably in a normal position.

    How Your Doctors can Help

    When you visit your doctor for this injury, they will likely perform an X-ray on your shoulder first. Depending on your pain level, they may order a prescription NSAID for you to take as well. Once your pain and swelling is reduced, they may direct you to a physical therapist. Physical therapists can help restore your range of motion of the shoulder . They will also help you rebuild the muscles around your shoulder joint.

    Prognosis and Return to Activities

    Most people have symptoms for a minimum of six weeks after this injury. Some may experience symptoms for up to six months. It is also not uncommon for joint popping to occur after the injury. Fortunately, surgery is rarely needed for this injury. You can also return to any sports once the range of motion in your shoulder is restored and your pain has diminished.

    If you are struggling with knee arthritis, Orthopaedic Specialists can help! We offer various treatment options to help you manage your arthritis. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the other experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today.

    Knee Arthritis: Managing Pain and Inflammation

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    If you have knee arthritis, you know that arthritic symptoms can wax and wane. You may have days where your knee feels fairly normal. You may also experience times when symptoms start for no reason at all. Your arthritic knee can enter a flared up phase from changes in the weather. Trauma and increased activity may cause knee arthritis symptoms to worsen too. Some common symptoms of knee arthritis include stiffness, swelling, loss of range of motion, deformity, and pain. You may have one or all of these symptoms if you have knee arthritis.

    There are several treatment options for knee arthritis. Read along for an overview of some options you have to manage pain and inflammation.

    Hot, not Cold

    In general, heat is better than ice to treat a flare of arthritis. Ice can actually irritate an arthritic joint, so moist heat tends to be the best approach. You can add water to a heating pad and place the pad on your knee for some relief. You can even microwave a wet towel and then apply it to the painful joint. There is no time limit on how long the moist heat can be applied, so you can apply as needed for pain.

    NSAIDs

    An oral NSAID can also help reduce a symptomatic arthritic joint. You should only take NSAIDs if you are not on blood thinners and do not have a history of kidney disease or stomach ulcers. Before taking any medication, you should always check with your healthcare provider first. Their expertise can help guide you safely- any medication, even over the counter medicines, can negatively interact with other medication that you are taking.

    Topical Medications for Knee Arthritis

    Topical medications can also help calm down an arthritic joint. For instance, Voltaren gel is an over the counter topical medication you can use for pain. You can apply the gel directly to the skin overlying your painful joint. Another topical option you can consider is capsaicin cream. This is a naturally-occurring compound found in red peppers that can be applied in a cream topically.

    PRP

    There are natural ways to treat an arthritic flare up too. PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) is one such option. Platelet rich plasma works  to reduce the pain, swelling and discomfort caused by arthritis. It is 100 percent natural, so there is no negative side effects. PRP is made by drawing your blood and separating out the plasma and platelets through an on-site centrifuge. The concentrated PRP is then injected into the painful area, where it helps facilitate faster, long-lasting relief.

    Knee Arthritis Injections

    A cortisone injection can also quickly reduce the pain from an arthritic flare-up. Your symptoms are significantly reduced in 2-4 days after a cortisone injection.

    If you are struggling with knee arthritis, Orthopaedic Specialists can help! We offer various treatment options to help you manage your arthritis. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the other experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today.

    Avoid Knee Replacement Surgery

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    If you have significant knee arthritis, you may be considering a knee replacement. Knee arthritis causes inflammation and pain in the knee that can become debilitating. Essentially, osteoarthritis is the break down of the cartilage in the knee joint. The knee normally has a smooth surface, but with arthritis the surface becomes jagged and rough. You can even feel and hear the rough surface with motion sometimes.

    While it can be the right option in some cases, knee replacement surgery can also be avoided or delayed with several treatment options. Read along for an overview of some treatment options for knee arthritis.

    NSAIDS and Supplements to Avoid a Knee Replacement

    There are many options for controlling inflammation in your knee. Before you start any regimen, though, your first step should be to get an X-ray to determine the degree of the arthritis. The next step is then to initiate treatment. At Orthopaedic Specialists, we typically start patients with oral medication and supplements. Anti-inflammatory NSAID medications such as Advil, Motrin, ibuprofen or Eleve can help to reduce inflammation by traveling through the blood stream and reducing the body’s inflammatory response. We may also recommend a prescription medication in some cases. Crucially, we do not recommend anti-inflammatory medications if you have a history of stomach ulcers or kidney disease. We also do not recommend these medications for people on blood thinners.

    Fortunately, there are other supplements you can use instead of and/or in addition to NSAIDS. We recommend turmeric, fish oil and glucosamine with chondroitin.

    Physical Therapy

    We also recommend you pursue physical therapy for osteoarthritis. Physical therapy can help strengthen the muscles around the knee. In turn, this reduces the force on the joint when you move. Physical therapy can also improve range of motion of the arthritic knee. We typically recommend 2-8 visits with a physical therapist. After any formal sessions are concluded, you should also follow a home exercise program three to four times a week depending on your therapist’s recommendation.

    Injection Options

    Another potential treatment option is injection therapy. One such injection is cortisone, an anti-inflammatory medication that we can inject into the knee joint. It typically gives three months of pain relief.

    Platelet Rich Plasma

    Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is a natural treatment option to reduce inflammation. This treatment is prepared by drawing blood from your arm. We then spin the blood in a small in-office centrifuge. The platelets and plasma separate from the rest of the blood. Then, we inject the resulting enriched plasma (the PRP) into the arthritic joint. PRP injections can give up to a years worth of pain relief. It offers a 100 percent natural way to treat the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

    Hyaluronic Acid Injections

    Another injection option to reduce symptoms temporarily is hyaluronic acid injections. These injections can reduce the symptoms of knee arthritis for up to six months or longer. Depending on the brand of the injection, you may need one shot (like with the brand Gel-One) or five shots (once per week for five weeks).  We prefer the one shot injection because every time we inject a knee, there is a small risk of introducing an infection. As such, the one shot treatment is less risky for you and only requires one appointment instead of five.

    One important note: knee injections do not actually need to be done with the use of ultrasound guidance. Many providers advertise that they use ultrasound to help guide them to inject the knee properly. Skilled doctors like orthopaedic surgeons do not need an ultrasound to help with injections- you won’t need that additional step here at Orthopaedic Specialists!

    If you have experienced any knee injuries, you can trust the professionals at Orthopaedic Specialists to help you recover. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today!

    Diagnosing and Treating Ankle Injuries

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    If you have experienced a pop around your ankle, it can be pretty unsettling. Today we’re going to go over two common ankle injuries that can cause this: an Achille’s tendon tear and an ankle sprain. Read along to learn more about these two ankle injuries.

    Achilles Tendon Tear

    Achilles tendon tears are most likely to occur in men over age 35. The most common injury scenario for this injury involves playing basketball, tennis or another sport that requires significant pushing off with the ankle. At the time of the injury, a person with a tear will feel a large pop. Most people also describe a feeling like someone kicked them in the heel when the injury occurs. Immediately after the injury, there  is swelling and pain, and it becomes difficult to walk.

    Doctors can diagnose an Achilles tendon tear with a physical exam in which they feel for a defect in the tendon. They may also use an MRI scan to visualize the tear. Often times, though, the diagnosis can be made by a physical examination alone.

    Doctors will treat this injury with surgery unless the patient is morbidly obese or diabetic. This is because morbidly obese patients and diabetics are at a higher risk for an infection with surgical treatment. Nonsurgical treatments for this condition involve casting the ankle.

    The surgery is an outpatient procedure. After surgery, patients are non-weight bearing for several weeks. After that, they may be cleared for touch toe weight bearing (using toes for balance but not weight bearing). Full weight bearing is usually possible starting around six weeks after surgery. The speed of recovery is based on the repair quality, and recovery differs between patients.

    Ankle Sprain

    A pop felt on the outer side of the ankle after a twisting injury is often a sign of an ankle sprain. This injury may occur if your ankle rolls as you are putting weight on it. A ligament in the ankle is injured in an ankle sprain.

    Often, after an ankle sprain people experience swelling and the ankle turns black and blue. Sometimes the discoloration can travel down to the foot. Doctors typically recommend an X-ray to make sure there are no fractures around the ankle joint.

    To treat an ankle sprain, follow the acronym RICE. This stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation, which should be the first lines of treatment. You may also need to use anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce swelling and pain. Long-term, physical therapy is a key part of recovery to restore range of motion and help reduce swelling. Physical therapists can help you regain strength and stability around your sprained ankle.

    If you play sports, your return time frame depends on the severity of the sprain. It can be as quick as 2 weeks with a mild sprain that you treat properly. More severe sprains may take as long as 8 weeks for a full recovery. In all cases, you may experience intermittent swelling for up to three months after the injury.

    If you have experienced an ankle injury, you can trust the professionals at Orthopaedic Specialists to help you recover. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today.

    Three Common Knee Injuries

    Posted by Stacie Grossfeld

    Knee Injuries

    You’re planting your leg to make a quick turn and- pop! You hear a popping sound from your knee. This is an all too familiar of a situation for many people. There are three common injuries that cause a pop in the knee. These are an ACL tear, a meniscal tear, and a patella dislocation. Most often, for all of these knee injuries, you will experience pain and swelling. Here’s an overview of these three knee injuries.

    ACL Injury

    The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) stabilizes the knee.  Planting and twistin, like while playing soccer or football, can cause an ACL tear.  Running and coming to a sudden stop can also tear the ACL. Regardless of the cause, with an ACL tear, a knee pop and swelling will occur. There’s a significant amount of pain right when the tear occurs as well. In sporting contexts, players with an ACL tear are unable to continue competing due to the severity of the injury. With the proper initial treatment of resting, icing, and compressing, the pain can resolve in a matter of days.

    Doctors diagnose an ACL tear with a physical examination. They check your injured knee for swelling and pain, comparing it to your healthy knee. They may also move your knee in a few positions to assess its range of motion. Doctors may also utilize diagnostic imaging like a MRI scan to assess the degree of tissue damage and the severity of the tear. In many cases, particularly for people with very active lifestyles, surgery is necessary to repair the ACL. During surgery, doctors reconstruct the torn ligament You will also need to pursue knee rehabilitation for a period of time to restore function and stability.

    Meniscal Tears

    Another common knee injury is a meniscal tear. Meniscal tears often occur due to trauma like aggressive pivoting in younger patients. In contrast, older patients can tear their meniscus with minimal force from day-to-day movement. In both cases, the tear causes a sharp pain along the joint line. This pain occurs with activity. A meniscal tear needs to be treated properly- the meniscus functions as a shock absorber in the knee.

    Doctors diagnose meniscal tears with a physical examination in which they move your knee in different positions to pinpoint the injury. They often use an MRI to visualize the injury as well. Meniscal tears, like ACL tears, should be treated with rest, ice, and compression initially. Longer-term, treatment includes physical therapy to improve motion and stability, and may also include surgery. In surgery, doctors can repair the tear with a low-risk outpatient procedure. Recovery from this surgery is quick.

    Patella Dislocations

    One final common knee injury that causes popping is a patella dislocation. The patella, also known as the knee cap, can dislocate when you plant and twist your let. Patella dislocations occur most commonly in younger females. People may feels something slip out of the joint if they experience a dislocation. Fortunately, most of the time, the dislocated knee cap spontaneously relocates on its own. However, on occasion it doesn’t. If this is the case, an ER physician will have to relocate the patella. Relocation is perform under a twilight type anesthetic.

    Treatment for this injury involves a patella stabilization brace. Physical therapy is also needed to strength the muscles around the knee cap. Typically, people are able to resume full activity within eight weeks of the initial injury. If the patella dislocates again, you may need surgery. During surgery, doctors can reconstruct the medial patellofemoral ligament, the ligament that stabilizes the patella.

    If you have experienced any knee injuries, you can trust the professionals at Orthopaedic Specialists to help you recover. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Grossfeld and the experts at Orthopaedic Specialists, call 502-212-2663 today.