Conditions & Diagnoses: A-Z

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Loose Body in the Knee

Definition:
Fragments of cartilage or bone within the knee. They usually result from previous trauma not always symptomatic.
Symptoms:
  • Locking of the knee that comes and goes
  • Pain and swelling of the knee that comes and goes
  • Being able to feel the loose body by touching the knee
  • Chronic stiffness
Causes:
  • Degenerative joint disease
  • A chip fracture
  • A torn piece of the cartilage
  • An object, such as a dislodged piece of hardware from a previous surgery or a foreign object from a penetrating injury.
  • Inflammation or decreased blood supply to the bone and cartilage, which may cause the bone to separate from the cartilage (osteochondritis dissecans).
Treatment:
  • Possible surgical intervention
  • ROM and stretching
  • Knee stabilization exercises
  • Lower extremity strengthening exercises