Knee Dysplasia Treatment

Knee dysplasia is a painful condition that can be quite difficult to treat. It is when the shape of the kneecap and the groove that it is supposed to move in do not match each other. This causes the kneecap to "grate" back and forth on the lower leg bone, causing bone wear, pain and degeneration. Treating this problem can be quite a challenge, as it involves the shape of the bone itself.

Treating knee dysplasia

• Begin by consulting with your orthopedic doctor. She will be able to confirm the severity of your problem and give you some ideas on how to address the issue. Non-surgical methods should be exhausted before that is discussed as an option. The first step is often physical therapy, which will strengthen the muscles surrounding the kneecap. This is performed using legs lifts, weight machines and other exercises which will be given to you under the guidance of a professional.

Bracing

• Another way to treat dysplasia is by wearing a knee brace. This is not something that will be worn all the time but can be worn for activities or times when the knee is especially painful. Your doctor will recommend one to you and may fit you for a special brace when you are diagnosed with the condition. It is best to have the doctor help you with this, as a standard knee brace, while certainly better than nothing, may not provide support in the right spot for your knee.

Injections

• If the above steps do not sufficiently alleviate the pain of the dysplasia, cortico-steroid injections or hyaluronic acid injections may be tried. The first is a treatment of swelling and reduces pain and inflammation, the latter is a bio-lubricant that can help the joint to function more easily. These are not always effective, and the relief they bring will be temporary. But it may delay the final step, which is surgery.

Surgery

• A final step towards correcting dysplasia is surgery. This is not common and is often saved for only the worst cases, as the surgery can be quite complex and invasive. Various methods can be attempted, from patellar realignment to total knee replacement. These are saved for end-stage cases where quality of life is becoming severely compromised by the dysplasia in the knee.