Quadriceps Tendonitis
Improper alignment or overuse of the knee can lead to strain, irritation, and/or injury of the quadriceps muscle and tendon. This leads to pain right above the kneecap where the quadricep meets the patella.
Patellar Tendonitis
Patellar tendonitis is a common injury or inflammation of the tendon that joins your kneecap to your shinbone. Pain is centralized at the front of the knee in the area of the patellar tendon and typically occurs from repetitive running, jumping and impact activities.
Chondromalacia Patella
This condition can be disabling if the softening of the coating cartilage under the kneecap is damaged/worn and is usually a result of trauma, alignment of the kneecap, or repetitive stress.
Patellar Instability
Sometimes instability begins as an acute dislocating patella episode which has the potential to lead to chronic knee pain and subsequent dislocation. Other issues could be ligament laxity, acute rupture of the medial patella femoral ligament, and poor patellofemoral alignment. Depending on the nature of the underlying problem may determine if surgical intervention is necessary.
Baker’s Cyst
Baker’s cyst is an underlying arthritic condition. Individuals will complain of fullness in back of knee and aren’t able to fully bend their knee. The cyst is a fluid filled sac that will vary in size depending on how significant the arthritis is.
Osgood-Schlatter
This primarily affects adolescents who have a rapid growth spurt and the bones grow faster than the soft tissue can accommodate resulting in pain at the front of the shin bone. At times surgery may be recommended but can usually be treated conservatively.
Arthritis
Arthritis pain is more likely to develop slowly. At first, you may notice pain in the morning or after you’ve been inactive for a while. Your knees may hurt when you climb stairs, stand up from a sitting position, or kneel or simply just walking. There are three types of knee arthritis – the most common type is osteoarthritis which progresses slowly and wears away joint cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition and post-traumatic arthritis that develops after an injury to the knee. Depending on the extent of the arthritis will determine if conservative or surgical treatment is needed. Surgical options – partial knee replacement, patellofemoral replacement, or total knee replacement surgery and may take place at Dr. Solman’s surgery center located in St Louis.
Medial and Lateral Meniscus Tears
The medial meniscus and lateral meniscus – are crescent-shaped bands of thick, rubbery cartilage attached to the shinbone (tibia). They act as shock absorbers and stabilize the knee.
The medial meniscus is on the inner side of the knee joint and the lateral meniscus is on the outside of the knee. The tears can vary in size and severity and usually occur when the knee is suddenly twisted while the foot is planted on the ground or develop slowly as the meniscus loses resiliency. In sports, a tear usually happens suddenly with severe pain. If you have a meniscus tear contact our office located in St. Louis to schedule an appointment with Dr. Corey G. Solman, Jr.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear
This ligament prevents the tibia from shifting forward. A tear to the ligament gives the sensation of instability and typically occurs with a cut and pivot, deceleration, or contact type of injury. Based on the age and demand of the individual will determine if surgical intervention is necessary.
Medial Patella Ligament Disruption
A medial patella ligament disruption occurs either with generalized laxity or after and acute patella dislocation. This ligament prevents the patella from gliding laterally. Surgery can prevent future dislocations and preserve the coating cartilage of the patella.
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Tear
This ligament is on the inside portion of the knee that connects the femur and tibia. The MCL has an adequate blood supply and often can heal conservatively.
Lateral Collateral (LCL) Tear
This ligament is on the outside of the knee and connects the femur and tibia. An injury to this ligament may require surgical reconstruction.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Tear
This ligament prevents the tibia from shifting backwards and creating instability.
