Losee maneuver can detect ACL injury

March 24th — admin

What is the “Losee maneuver?” I’ve heard it can be used to detect a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Dr. Ron Losee from Ennis, Montana, was the first to describe a test for ACL instability. It was called the Losee maneuver for many years. Now it’s sometimes referred to as the “pivot-shift” test.

When the test is done, the patient is asked, “Is this how your knee feels when it gives out?” The doctor doesn’t always feel a change in the knee during the test, so the patient’s report is important.

A positive pivot-shift may be a sign that surgery is needed to repair the torn ligament. There is a device that measures laxity between the two knees (a KT-2000). The results of one test usually aren’t enough to tell which patients need an operation. Tests like the pivot-shift, along with several others, are still important.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Could my knee pain be arthritis? I’m only 33!

November 4th — admin
Lately I’ve had a lot of pain right behind my kneecap, especially when going down stairs. I am only 33 years old. Could I be developing arthritis already?

 
There are several possible causes of pain behind the knee. A recent injury can cause pain from a ligament tear. Sometimes a small structure in the knee such as a bursa or plica can become inflamed and cause pain.

You may be describing a condition called patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). This occurs when the kneecap is slightly off center as it slides up and down over the joint. This kind of tracking misalignment can cause the cartilage behind the knee to become torn or frayed.

PFPS is often characterized by pain when descending stairs. There may also be pain when trying to bend at the knee in a partial squat. An orthopedic physician or physical therapist can examine you and determine the cause of your symptoms.

The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com.

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Tear in ligament often revealed only through arthroscopic surgery

September 30th — admin
I was in a car accident and broke my pelvis in two places. After the injury finally healed, I still had deep groin pain and my hip kept giving out on me. I had MRIs, X-rays, and CT scans done for my pelvis, and nothing ever showed up. Finally, I had arthroscopic surgery and the doctor found a tear in the ligamentum teres. Where is this and why doesn’t it show up on all these tests?

 
If you pull a chicken leg out of its socket, you’ll see a fibrous white ligament. That’s the equivalent of the ligamentum teres in the human. It helps hold the head of the femur (thigh bone) in the hip socket.

Traumatic or twisting injuries can cause this ligament to tear. Hip dislocation can stretch it to the tearing point, too.

Doctors don’t have a test to help them find this type of tear. In fact, it wasn’t until arthroscopic surgery came along that they even knew it occurs as often as it does. Now that we know it’s a problem, more studies will be done to find easier ways to diagnose it.

The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com. 

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Where exactly is the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)?

September 15th — admin
Where exactly is the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)? Why don’t I hear about it as much as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)?

 
The cruciate ligaments are two ligaments that cross inside the knee joint. (“Cruciate” means cross). By connecting the thighbone (femur) with the shinbone (tibia), they help stabilize the knee. The ACL is in front. It protects the tibia from going too far forward in relation to the femur. The PCL crosses behind the ACL. It’s made up of two bands that work together to stabilize the knee when the lower leg is moving backward or rotating outward.

You hear more about the ACL because ACL injuries are more common. They also tend to result in more pain and symptoms than PCL injuries. However, recent studies suggest that PCL injuries may be more common than previously thought, accounting for roughly 20 percent of all knee injuries. Researchers have recently turned more of their attention to PCL injuries, to develop more effective treatments.

The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com

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Does repair of ACL guarantee problem-free future?

July 14th — admin
I recently had my right ACL repaired. My orthopedist said everything looked great. If my rehab continues to go well, does this mean I won’t have problems in the future?

 
Unfortunately, there is no way to predict the long term outcome for you. Sometimes, people who tear a knee ligament also bruise the knee bone. This damage may or may not go away completely. Even though the ACL may have been repaired successfully, the joint may still become arthritic if the bone damage doesn’t completely resolve. This is because the initial bone bruise can cause the bone underneath the cartilage to harden. The joint loses its ability to absorb shock, so the cartilage takes the brunt of the forces on the joint. Scientists are working to figure out how to predict and prevent these kinds of problems.

The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com

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