NOTES - Your success stories :

ADVICE NEEDED - - Posted by footie_holz (footie_holz), 14 January 2005

Hi
In early November I dislocated my knee cap while running on the football pitch (a loud cracking noise) then when I landed on the turf there was another cracking noise.
Taken to hospital had the xrays and told that I have dislocated and then relocated my knee cap. Was refered to Physio and after a couple of weeks seemed to be progressing. Then for no reason it dislocated again (back to square one).
I have now been having physio for the last three months and during this time my knee has dislocated and then relocated itself four times. The most recent being yesterday.
I used to be an active sportswoman and took part in a lot of adventure training with the air cadets. I really cannot carryon like this and surely my knee should not keep dislocating.
Any advice would really be appreciated, do I need surgery perhaps to cure this.    
Posted by mhsflute07 (mhsflute07), 15 January 2005

Hi!
I'm sorry you're having a hard time with your knees. I can sympathize as my knees dislocate as well.
It is odd that your kneecap is dislocating while you are under the care of PT. Do you know if the exercises they are having you do are targeting the VMO (inner quad muscle)? If not, you might be strengthing the wrong side of the quad which creates an imbalance and pull the patella off track easily.

Have you been to an OS? If not, I would suggest making an appointment. An OS will be able to tell you if you have any malalignment or other structural problems causing the kneecap to dislocate. If you have the malalignment there are surgeries to correct it, which can be performed at your doctor's and your own discretion.

For more information on the kneecap you can look through these websites:
http://www.kneehippain.com
http://www.emedicine.com/sports/topic95.htm

I hope this helps some! You might also try posting in "Patello-femoral" section.

~Erin~
Posted by footie_holz (footie_holz), 15 January 2005

Well as far as i knew my physio was working well until wednesday when i bent down to pick up a tennis ball for my friend and i dislocated it again! number 3 now and its getting really annoying as im very sporty and enjoy keeping fit and hate not doing anything. Hopefully i'll be refered back to the hospital to see what can be done!

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