Knee joint taping

To stabilize the knee joint, it may be helpful to apply tape to it. This method is particularly useful for follow-up treatment after knee injuries, as the tape supports movement but does not restrict movement. It also has a pain-relieving effect and gently restores the knee to its normal functionality.

When taping the knee joint, there are a few things to consider. First, the tapes should be cut to size. Two shorter and two longer strips are needed.

To measure the optimal length, orientate yourself on the kneecap. The shorter tapes should end about three fingers wide above and below the kneecap, the two longer tapes about six fingers wide, three fingers wider than the shorter tapes. Then bend the knee by about 70° and stick the shorter tapes tightly directly around the kneecap.

During this process, full tension must be exerted on the tapes, but no tension must be exerted on the skin during application, as this can lead to the formation of bubbles; so always make sure that the ends of the tape are loosely glued to the skin. Afterwards the longer tapes are glued on. These are NOT put under tension, but loosely stuck to the knee next to the shorter inner tapes.

The strips should overlap by about a finger width. When the knee is subsequently moved, the skin above the kneecap should be clearly wrinkled in the stretched position. The tape should not feel uncomfortable. Overall it is important to ensure that the inner strips are taped tightly enough around the kneecap and that the outer strips are applied around it completely without tension. Only in this way can the kinesiotape develop its optimal stabilizing effect.

Knee joint surgery

An operation on the knee joint can become necessary in the case of various damages or diseases of the knee joint, if conservative therapy measures could not show success. Meniscus operations: A meniscus injury can occur in the course of sports accidents. If the meniscus is torn, it is often necessary to suture it.

However, this only works if the tears and tears are not too large and are located in a zone of the meniscus with good blood supply, otherwise healing may not be able to proceed adequately. In such cases the torn meniscus part can be removed and replaced by synthetic or natural material (meniscus transplantation). Cruciate ligament operations: Cruciate ligament injuries also often require surgery.

A torn cruciate ligament leads to instability of the knee joint and in the long term can lead to the development of consequential damage and knee joint arthrosis. The standard procedure today is the autologous transplantation of a body-own tendon to the site of the injured cruciate ligament. The tendon of the semitendinosus muscle is usually used for this.

If the cruciate ligament is torn off with a piece of bone, this piece of bone together with the cruciate ligament can be screwed back into its original position. This is particularly common in children and adolescents. An autologous transplant is then not necessary.

The same applies to a cruciate ligament that has only been torn. This can often be reconstructed and sutured without the need for additional tendon tissue. Cartilage transplantation: A new treatment concept exists for cartilage damage in the knee joint.

Here, the body’s own cartilage cells are removed, cultivated and then transplanted back into the knee joint where the cells grow and can compensate for cartilage defects.Knee prosthesis: Particularly in the context of severe knee joint arthrosis, irreversible damage to the joint can occur in the long term, so that normal function is no longer possible. If all conservative treatment measures have been exhausted, a knee endoprosthesis (knee TEP) can be used as a last resort. In this case the knee joint is completely replaced by artificial material.

This is followed by intensive physiotherapy so that the new knee joint can be optimally loaded and the body can get used to it. Lateral retinaculum splitting: This operation is performed on the knee joint when there is a malposition of the kneecap. In this case, the kneecap is pulled too far outwards by the ligamentous apparatus, resulting in increased pressure on the outer part of the joint.

This can cause consequential damage in the long run. By splitting a part of the lateral ligamentous apparatus, the lateral retinaculum, the tension on the patella is reduced so that it is shifted more towards the center. This distributes the force more evenly over the knee joint.

Kneecap surgery: The so-called Blauth kneecap surgery is used when lateral retinaculum splitting has not been able to improve the symptoms. The aim here is also to shift the kneecap more towards the center and to distribute the pressure more evenly over the joint. To achieve this, the patellar tendon is severed and moved further inwards so that the patella is also pulled towards the center.