Synovial Plica Irritation

What are the symptoms?

• Variable sharp pain located anteriorly (front), medially (inside edge) or posteriorly (at the back) of the patella or kneecap.
• There may be sharp pain on squatting.
• The plica may sometimes feels like a thickened band under the inside of the patella.

What is a Synovial Plica?

The knee joint is lubricated with a substance called synovial fluid. This fluid is surrounded by and produced by a sheath called the synovial sheath. The synovial plica is a synovial fold found along the inside border of the knee cap.

The synovial sheath may also become more widely inflamed. This is known as Synovitis.

What can be done to prevent a Synovial Plica?

• A synovial or patella plica should be considered the main cause of pain only when the patient has failed to respond to treatment of patello femoral syndrome.
• A surgeon may perform an arthroscopy to look into the joint, identify a plica and remove it.