Syndrome of the mediopatellar fold of the knee joint is an inflammatory process, which is characterized by the development of pain in the affected area. A feature of the pathology is that both knee joints are affected immediately. Lack of treatment can lead to disability, so early diagnosis is important here. According to ICD-10, the pathology has the code M22.2 and is characterized as inflammation of the mediopathellar fold.
A bit about anatomy
The mediopatellar fold is a thickening of the synovial membrane located in the inner part of the knee joint. With it, bone formation occurs during fetal development.
If damage to the fold occurs, then the patient experiences pain, which manifests itself mainly after strong physical exertion on the joint.
When pain and discomfort appear
One of the main reasons for the development of inflammation is frequent and excessive load on the knee joint. Provocateurs of the syndrome are:
- Frequent and repeated over a long time of flexion and extension of the knee joint.
- Inflammatory processes that occur with diseases such as arthritis and synovitis.
- Damage to cartilage, ligaments and meniscus, irritation of adipose tissue. Injuries to the inside of the knee that can be triggered by a ball during a soccer game, a traffic accident, a kick to the knee during a fight.
- Impaired blood supply.
- In some cases, the development of the syndrome of mediopatellar fold may be associated with pathologies of the knee joint of a congenital nature.
Risk groups
The risk group for the syndrome of mediopatellar fold of the knee joint includes people who regularly play sports and visit the gym. The main sports that can cause disorders in the knee joint are as follows:
- run;
- cycling
- jumps in which overload of the knee joint is provided.
Often this syndrome develops in people whose work involves a long stay on their feet.
Pathology can also occur in athletes with old injuries affecting the defeat of the meniscus, knee joint and cruciate ligament.
Symptomatic manifestations
The main signs indicating the development of a syndrome of mediopatellar fold are:
- Pain sensations that occur in the front inner part of the knee joint, which can occur after prolonged sitting. The pain is often pulling and aching.
- Clicks and crunch in the joint.
- A feeling of heaviness in the knee.
Pathology diagnostics
At the initial stage, the disease is very difficult to distinguish from any other lesion of the knee joint, for example, from a conventional bruise. In this regard, if there is a suspicion of the development of the syndrome of mediopatellar fold of the knee joint, it is recommended that such instrumental examination methods as
- Magnetic resonance imaging. This method allows you to find out the exact location of the site of inflammation. You can also use computed tomography.
- Ultrasound examination. It helps determine how badly the joint is affected.
- Roentgenography. Using this method, the nature of the changes developing in the joint cavity and cartilage tissue is assessed.
Drug therapy for pathology
Treatment of the mediopellar fold syndrome with medications can be effective only at the initial stage, when pathological tissue destruction has not yet occurred.
In the course of treatment, the affected area is treated and medications have an anti-inflammatory effect. Drugs in this group eliminate pain, and also help prevent a destructive process.
Analgesics are used as painkillers, which have both local and systemic effects on the body. However, it is important to remember that it is strictly forbidden to use drugs that have a warming effect, since they can only accelerate the pathological process.
To eliminate the pain syndrome, regular ice also helps, which must be applied to the affected area. With the help of ice, joint swelling can also be eliminated. If neither medication nor ice helps, the doctor may recommend an intra-articular injection of a 1% lidocaine solution. But during the procedure, the medicine can not be entered directly into the mediapellar fold.
In combination with drug therapy, the use of physiotherapeutic treatment is recommended. It helps to eliminate the syndrome of mediopatellar folds of the knee joint, and in the future to stop the inflammatory process. The main methods of physiotherapy in this case are:
- Phonophoresis, magnetotherapy and iontophoresis.
- Ultraviolet irradiation and ultrahigh-frequency inductothermy.
It is important to remember that during the treatment of the mediopatellar fold syndrome, all physical exercises on the knee joint should be canceled. If you carefully follow all the instructions of a specialist, then recovery can occur within 4-6 weeks after the development of pathology.
Surgical intervention
If the treatment of the mediopathellar fold with medications did not give the desired result, and the pathology dragged on for several months, then in this case surgical intervention is recommended.
This method of surgical intervention is called arthroscopy. During the procedure, the doctor through pre-made punctures introduces an arthroscope into the knee joint, which is connected to a special video camera. Thanks to the built-in video camera, the internal cavity of the knee joint is displayed on the monitor, and under the control of the arthroscope, the mediopathic fold is completely removed.
During arthroscopy, a complete diagnosis of the joint can be carried out and, if necessary, eliminate other injuries of the knee joint, for example, torn meniscus or ligaments.
The recovery period after surgery to remove the mediopellar fold lasts no more than a month and a half. During it, physical exercises are used to help maintain optimal muscle tone.
Gymnastic exercises
The choice of gymnastic exercises for the syndrome of mediopatellar folds of the knee joint completely depends on the nature of the disorders and the degree to which the pathological process develops.
All classes should be carried out under the strict supervision of a physiotherapist, and only in a hospital setting. The course of physiotherapy exercises helps to eliminate pain, stop the inflammatory process and normalize blood circulation in the problem area.
During classes, exercises to strengthen the medial part of the thigh, as well as those that increase the elasticity of the tendons and ligamentous apparatus, are recommended.
The inflammatory process that develops in the knee joint with the syndrome of mediopatellar fold is very dangerous and can lead to the destruction of cartilage, which can subsequently threaten the patient with disability. Therefore, at the first symptoms, you should immediately visit a doctor. Timely treatment started will greatly accelerate the healing process.