It is a disease of the knee joint characterized by the limitation of movement and function of the knee.
It is caused by trauma to the knee or secondary to surgery of the knee joint. Factors such as delay of surgery, of start of rehabilitation or prolonged immobilization may favour its appearance.
It manifests with limited movement of the knee joint. Sometimes it is accompanied by atrophy of the quadriceps muscle, pain and/or swelling of the joint.
It is diagnosed by collecting clinical history that highlights the traumatism and/or the previous surgery, measuring the angle of movement of the joint and by means of image tests. The most common ones are X-rays and MRI of the joint.
Prevention is the main pillar of treatment; therefore it is recommended to intervene early if indicated, and rehabilitate as soon as possible to avoid ankylosis. Pain will be treated with regular pain killers, anti-inflammatories and rest. The manipulation to improve flexion can be performed with the help of anaesthesia and even combined with arthroscopy to achieve a greater joint release. In the most severe cases that do not respond to manipulations, or if the joint presents calcifications, surgical intervention may be necessary.
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