One can primarly try to perform a nonsurgical therapy and try to treat the inflammatory irritation of the plica. Therefore protection in combination with an anti-inflammatory medicative therapy has to be prescribed. Cooling with ice is helpful as well and relieves pain and swellings.

The problem of the plica syndrome – for sporty patients – is, that the complaints do not improve most of the time, because the inflammatorily changed and hardened edge of the plica continues to rub on the cartilage and destroys it. Thus one should think about a surgery (arthroscopy) for sporty patients early on. The plica is removed and usually an improvement of the complaints takes place after a short time, except obvious cartilage damages have already appeared.

Thus, already before the surgery the patient has to be informed about the fact, that also after the surgery pains (due to a cartilage damage) can appear. Most patients, however, are happy, that the pains, that have accompanied them for years, suddenly disappear completely after a small arthroscopic surgery.