Dislocated patella risk factors
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Grace M. Gibson
Risk Factors
Athletic Population
- Patellar dislocation occurs in sports that involve rotating the knee.
- Direct trauma to the knee can knock the patella out of joint.
Positive Family History
- Twenty-four percent of patients whose patellas have dislocated have relatives who have experienced patellar dislocations.
Anatomical Factors
Excessive Q-angle
- The manual of Structural Kinesiology by B.T Floyd states that people who have larger Q-angles tend to be more prone to having knee injuries such as dislocations, due to the central line of pull found in the quadriceps muscles that run from the anterior superior iliac spine to the center of the patella. The range of a normal Q angle for men ranges from <15 degrees and for females <20 degrees, putting females at a higher risk for this injury.[1] Having an angle greater than 25 degrees between the patellar tendon and quadriceps muscle can predispose someone to patellar dislocation.[2]
Misalignment of the Patella on the Knee Joint
- In patella alta, the patella sits higher on the knee than normal.
Insufficient Vastus Medialis Obliquus Muscle (VMO)
- Normal function of the VMO muscle stabilizes the patella.
- If VMO function is decreased, it will result in instability of the patella.
References
- ↑ Floyd, R. T. (2009). Manual of structural kinesiolog. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. ISBN 978-0-07-337643-1.
- ↑ Buchner M, Baudendistel B, Sabo D, Schmitt H (2005). “Acute traumatic primary patellar dislocation: long-term results comparing conservative and surgical treatment”. Clin J Sport Med. 15 (2): 62–6. doi:10.1097/01.jsm.0000157315.10756.14. PMID 15782048. Unknown parameter
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