Patella Alta Treatment: What You Can Do When You’re Knee Cap is Too High
Patella Alta Treatment is tricky because of the biomechanics of the knee, but we can certainly help. Patella alta is a condition where patients are born with their knee cap seated way too high. The normal knee cap sits in a groove and to work well, the cartilage of the groove has to make good contact with the cartilage on the back of the knee cap. In patients with patella alta, the high knee cap doesn’t fit the groove well and the cartilage can get worn down faster. This happened to patient TC, a middle aged college professor. He didn’t have many options, other than perhaps a knee replacement before age 40. We have treated TC under the knee cap and in the meniscus with the Regenexx-SD and SCP procedures and because we can’t change the bio mechanics, it’s likely he will need ongoing therapy. Here’s his most recent comment after about a year of care:
“Dear Ron,
Just wanted to let you know how I was doing after the…treatment on January 14, 2013…In all honesty, the pain from the LCL has decreased 80%. After long periods of activity, it still pops on the side of the joint w/ some swelling, but previously (before the treatment) it was painful to walk and was swollen constantly. This swelling is less and only after really hard exercise/activity….This is in addition to the decrease in knee pain overall from the previous SD treatments. All in all I am dealing with knee soreness after activities and as part of the re-aligning of the patella, but the knee does not stick after sitting for long periods of time like before.”
It should be noted that 80% improvement isn’t typical for the Regenexx-SCP and -SD procedures and that not all patients would get relief of knee sticking or locking.
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NOTE: This blog post provides general information to help the reader better understand regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal health, and related subjects. All content provided in this blog, website, or any linked materials, including text, graphics, images, patient profiles, outcomes, and information, are not intended and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please always consult with a professional and certified healthcare provider to discuss if a treatment is right for you.