Traditionally, examination of a joint involves the principle ‘look, feel, move’. Whilst this adage may still hold true for basic examination of the knee, the order and sequence of examination changes depending on the likely diagnosis suggested by the history. For example when examining a severely arthritic knee it is not necessary to examine for…
Early physiotherapy is directed at patella mobility in addition to static quadriceps and hamstring work maintaining muscle bulk. The most important part of the initial rehabilitation is to maintain patella mobility in the medial/lateral plane as well as the superior/inferior plane. Once the wound has settled then mobilisation of the patella tendon should also start…
Problems can occur. Some are minor but some may need another operation to help. It is clearly important to understand these risks before undergoing surgery. The main risks include: Failure to provide enough stability in the knee to allow return to full sporting activities. Either the ligament does not heal in a tight enough position…
The menisci of the knee make the sockets for the thigh bone to rotate in and they provide the shock absorber for impact loads. If a substantial amount is removed after injury then this can result in early wearing of the joint surfaces. Complete loss of the meniscus usually results in early arthritis developing within…
OutlinePost-operative treatment following allograft meniscal transplantation is similar to regimes following meniscal repair surgery. Progress is slow, because of the requirement for protecting the transplanted meniscus from higher loads while it heals fully in the joint, which may already have early wear changes.Results show that the risk to the meniscus for re-tearing is in the…
This section provides a wealth of information about the knee; conditions that can affect it, treatment options and detail on the operations along with rehabilitation afterwards. These pages are provided for general information only — you should not undertake any part of a programme unless instructed by your consultant or physiotherapist. If you have had…
