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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What should I do for my knee if it keeps dislocating?

    Related Topic
    Sports Injuries & Prevention
    I am 18 and had surgery last year to stop my knee cap from dislocating. I had a tibial transfer (I think that's the proper name) and was not able to walk on my leg for 2-3 months after as of excruciating pain. after I was able to walk without crutches I started doing some pretty intense physio to strengthen my knee including exercise bike and squats + all the stretches the physio gave me. but at the start of feb this year my knee dislocated again more than 3 times in a month to the point of now I can not walk un aided even while doing new physio exercises and all the strengthen stuff ive been put on pretty strong pain medication as I can not handle daily life with out relief but do not want to reliy on them as I don't like them what can I do and do you think I would be looking at surgery down the line as it is still dislocating to the day?????? please help I want my life back
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    Dana Rader

    Exercise Physiologist

    Dana Rader is the owner operator of GYROTONIC® Melbourne. As an exercise physiologist she is passionate about the health benefits of exercise. Dana has been … View Profile

    Sounds like you have explored many options including strengthening the knee joint capsule after your surgery. I have had similar issues as I was born with my legs facing backwards and have patellas with lateral angles far exceeding the norm. My thought is that you explore what is happenig at the hip joint and anke joint as your knees take the load for any issues with these joints as well. You might work on hip mobility and ankle joint strengthening and stability and see if this minimizes the issue. An exercise physiologist that is well trained in movement might be able to assist.

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  • Anonymous

    hi i am the girl who wrote the post i have always had clicky hips and no one can do anything for them i use to row before my knee problem so all parts of my legs are as strong as can be even ankles (though i did break the ankle on the same side 2 years earlier) but that is also very strong the only other thing i can think of is when i was little (3-7) i would walk withmy feet facing eachother like this \ / well more of an angle and when im not concerntrating on it i ocasionly walk like it today as i have a twist in the spine as a ciropractor told me years back now i am just at my wits end with this as a year after the surgery that was meant to stop it my knee is still dislocating even as of yesterday

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    Antonia Radas

    Physiotherapist

    I currently work at Penshurst Physiotherapy Centre and the University of Sydney. I am focused on developing a dual career path in both private practice … View Profile

    If this is an ongoing problem, you should see a physiotherapist, who can assess the knee and lower limb alignment thoroughly and determine why you are experiencing recurrent knee dislocation. Once this has been done your physiotherapist can prescribe the most appropriate treatment e.g. if it is acutely painful, the physiotherapist will try and settle your pain using RICE principles (rest, ice, compression, elevate) and taping techniques. Later down the track the physio can implement a functional strengthening/motor control program that addresses where the problem is coming from, so that this problem does not persist.

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    Anonymous

    I have been under going very intence physio in the last few months and nothing is working its just getting worse and worse most dasys i cant even put any weight on it as it will just crack then pop and it will slip out on me most  of the time i end up putting it back inmy self but it pinches the nerves around it and have very bad spassums after that have been lasstinga very long time. its getting so bad that i cant walk more than 30 meters without having to stop and rest it making it very hard to carry out normal work. i can not work but am being forced to look and no one will hier me becsuse tey are wsorried asbout my capeblitty ive aslmost just given up the only person wsho has been trying to help me through everything is my wonderful doctor.but not even strong pain killers and anti-inflamitorys with the physio is helping with anything my knee today is 2 times the size of the other and has dislocated 4 times today alone making it sopainful i can not move it.

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    Jonathan Harris

    Physiotherapist

    Jonathan Harris is a Titled Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist having achieved Master Degrees in both fields. As well as his undergraduate Physiotherapy degree he also … View Profile

    You might not want to hear this but if your knee is giving you the amount of grief you are reporting, and you are doing the amount of rehabilitation you suggest and you are having to take the amount of medication you are on and it is not working, then your knee is surgical.  From your own admission, conservative managment has failed.  You have done heaps of rehabilitation and the knee is still popping and swollen.  There are a number of other types of surgical stabilisation that can be performed.  My wife had dislocating knee caps and had a tibial transfer on one knee (bad result) and had an operation called a Modified Galleazzi on the other (good result).  You can google it and check it out….the sooner the better in my opinion.  All that is going to happen if your knee cap keeps dislocating is you will end up perminantly trashing the underside of the patella.  After you have had another surgical proceedure (assuming you do) you should see a good Sports or Muscuoloskeletal Physiotherapist.  They are more likely to consider the entire lower limb biomechanics when trying to rehabilitate you.  Good luck, Jono

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    Anonymous

    thankyou jono when i last went tomy sergon i had a inturn come in and tell me i couldnt have any more surgery on my knee as they didnt pick up any ligement dammage so they refuse to do anything (mind you he said he was going to see my real sergen and just played a game on his phone as i could hear and see him ….silly man and never got his name) i am so sick of this knee problem if i stand up sit down or try and step up a step all it does is make a very loud crunching sound as other people can hear it but i do not know what causes that as it happened only after surgery. i will look up that type of surgery to thank you very much

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    Alixandrea Shea

    HealthShare Member

    Please look up Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - hypermobility type

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