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HOMEPAGE |
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| KNEE | SHOULDER | FOOT and ANKLE | BACK and NECK | ELBOW and WRIST | HIP and PELVIS | COMPLETE INDEX |
Diagnosis |
PAINFUL PLICA |
| Definition | A painful plica is caused by inflammation of a band of tissue just to the inside part of the kneecap. |
Details |
A plica is a band of dense scar-like tissue that occurs normally in many people. It is left over tissue from when
the knee was developing prior to birth. Most of the time, a plica does not cause pain. Diagram of Plica |
| Causes | A plica can become painful after a direct blow to the front of the knee or from overuse of the knee. |
| Diagnosis | Patients with painful plicas complain of pain in the front or just to the inner side of their knees. Deep bending of the knee worsens the pain or may cause the band to snap across the knee. Sitting in a car or movie theatre may produce discomfort similar to the patellofemoral pain syndrome. This area is also tender to the touch and a thickened cord-like structure can usually be felt. Localized swelling may accompany the tenderness. X-rays are taken to rule out bony causes of the pain. Rarely, an MRI will be employed to either confirm the diagnosis or rule out a meniscus tear on the inner part of the knee |
| Treatment | The overwhelming majority of painful plicas can be treated non-operatively. The treatment is directed along a three
phase protocol: control of pain and inflammation, restoration of function and return to sports. Flexibility of
the muscles around the knee and tissues around the kneecap are emphasized. Rarely, arthroscopic surgery is needed to remove the inflammed and scarred plica to eliminate the pain. Arthroscopic Picture of a Plica |
| Prevention |
Maintain strong and flexible muscles around the knee, especially quadriceps stretching copyright www.emedx.com |
