Signs/Symptoms: Patellar

Instability and
•Pain •Stiffness
•Swelling •Buckling
•Catching

Surgical
•Medial patellofemoral
ligament
MPFL Reconstruction
•Lateral retinaculum
•Tibial tubercle

Nonsurgical 2 Types
•Patient education Traumatic patellar dislocation:
the patella gets pushed
Chronic patellar Instability:
the patella usually only
•Physical therapy completely out of the groove,
often the result of an injury
lides partly out of the
groove known as
to the knee. subluxation.
•Braces

Examinations What is MPFL reconstruction?

Causes: for
•Trauma Patellar Tracking: MPFL reconstruction is a surgery
in which a new medial patellofemoral
•Connective
tissue Patellar Apprehension Test ligament is created to stabilize the
knee and help protect the joint from
disorder
additional damage.
•Developmental X-ray and MRI
dysplasia
Feel, move, and look Graft choice, patellar and femoral
•Osseous anatomy at the knee as the attachments, types of fixation, and
of the entire femur (in patient sits, stands, graft tension are the major focuses
both torsion and walks.
of the surgery.
and trochlea shape) is
usually abnormal and Ask questions about patients’ past
has higher ligamentous health, activities, when the pain started, Most commonly used graft choice
laxity and whether it was caused by an is the homolateral gracilis tendon.
injury, overuse, or something else.

Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL)

Injury to the MPFL can occur with patellar dislocation or subluxation.

This causes the patella to become unstable and increase risk for future dislocation.

The MPFL plays an important role in keeping the patella on track in the trochlear groove.
The MPFL is a part of the complex network of soft tissues that stabilize the knee. The MPFL attaches the inside part of the patella to the femur.

When the patella dislocates or subluxation occurs, soft tissue is damaged as the patella goes off its normally track and forcibly comes back into place.

Due to the patella going off track laterally, the MPFL can get torn or stretched. The MPFL can heal on its own, but the ligament heals in a loosened, lengthened position.