Patellar Subluxation Treatment Braces

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What is Subluxation of the Knee? Patellar Subluxation is a patellar tracking disorder , which occurs when your patella (kneecap) becomes partially laterally (outer knee) or medially (inner knee) dislocated. Normally, your kneecap rests in your patellofemoral groove (trochlea) located at the end of your thigh bone (femur). Your patellofemoral groove is located between a couple bumps at the end of your thigh bone (femoral condyles). Your kneecap should slide up and down in your patellofemoral groove, but during a patellar subluxation, your kneecap will come partially out of this groove. How Does Patellar Subluxation Feel? Some people experience very few symptoms during a patellar subluxation, while others experience several debilitating symptoms. Symptoms of patellar subluxation include the following: Your kneecap kind of feels like it is sliding out of place You might be able to see kneecap displacement externally General knee pain and soreness Your knee buckles and cannot support any weight Stiffness Swelling You hear creaking or cracking sounds in your knee What Causes Patellar Subluxation? Bone structure - If you have a shallow patellofemoral groove or large Q angle, you are more susceptible to experience a patellar subluxation. The Q angle of your knee is a measurement of the angle between your quadriceps muscles and your patella tendon. This angle provides a lot of useful information about the alignment of your knee joint.There are many potential factors that could lead to patellar subluxation. Your bone structure, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and movement patterns all impact your chance of experiencing a patellar subluxation. Weak muscles - Weak muscles around your hip and knee, commonly lead to instability of your kneecap. Issues with your soft tissues - If your ligaments and/or tendons are too flexible, they lose their ability to properly hold your kneecap in place. On the other hand, if your soft tissues are too tight, they can pull your kneecap out of its p