Patellar mobilisations

• OBJECTIVES
• IMMEDIATE PHASE
• EARLY PHASE - IN BED
• EARLY PHASE - MOBILE
• INTERMEDIATE PHASE
• LATE PHASE

• GLOSSARY OF EXERCISES

• assisted flexion
• assisted passive extensions
• calf stretch
• carioca exercise
• CPM - continuous passive motion
• cross trainer
• crunch
• crutches
• cryotherapy (including icing)
• figure-of-eight
• foot pumps
• full arc extensions
• full quads stretch
• full squats (supported)
• hamstrings exercises
• hamstrings stretch
• heel slides
• heel slides (facilitated)
• hip extensions
• hip flexions
• hip flexion & adduction
• hip adduction
• hip abduction
• hip external rotation
• hip external rotation & abduction
• hopping
• ilio-tibial band stretch
• leg curls
• lunges
• lying wall slides
• lying wall slides (facilitated)
• mini squats
• mini stork
• mini trampoline
• one legged balance
• passive extension
• patellar mobilisations
• piriformis stretch
• plyometrics
• PRICE and RICE
• quad sets
• resisted extensions
• rowing machine
• short arc extensions
• side-stepping
• standing wall slides
• static bike
• static quads
• step-ups
• straight leg raises
• tip toes
• treadmill
• trunk extension
• wobble board

Patellar mobilisations are simple but important exercises to break sticky adhesions that may develop around the kneecap and limit its movement. As the patella and its related tissues must remain mobile if the knee is to have full flexion and extension (bending and straightening), breaking any adhesions prevents later stiffness.

Sit on a flat surface with the back supported and the knees out straight in front of you. Grasp the kneecap and gently move it from side to side, and up and down. Tilt it from side to side also. Then grasp the tendon below it and move the tendon from side to side. Massage the tissues in the area above the kneecap.

You may be interested to read Dirk Kokmeyer's paper on this.

	An assistant uses both thumbs to push the patella over to the inner aspect. The stretch needs to be held for a few seconds.
	Then the fingertips are used to push the patella over to the outer side.
	Here the patella is pushed downwards. You can do all these exercises yourself. Just remember that the knee must be straight otherwise the patella engages in the underlying groove and will be hard to move around.