Dislocated patella (patient information)
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Dislocated patella |
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Dislocated patella On the Web |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] and Grace Maggie Mariah Gibson
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Overview
Patellar dislocation is a painful injury when a person's Knee cap pops "out of the joint" or "out of its socket" and remains out until they pop it back in.
What are the symptoms of dislocated patella?
- Knee appears to be deformed
- Knee is bent and cannot straighten
- Knee pain and / or knee swelling
- Sloppy or "Hypermobile" knees
What causes Dislocated patella?
A dislocated patella is often caused by a sudden change in direction which puts the kneecap under stress. Dislocation of the knee may also occur as a direct result of injury. When the patella is dislocated, it slips out of the joint and around the knee region.
Who is at highest risk?
Mainly, the people at highest risk of dislocation of the patella are people with "Sloppy" or "hypermobile" knees, which means that you can easily move the kneecap around the joint, and that it may slide around every once and a while.
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
You should seek urgent medical care if you have dislocated your knee multiple times, or if you dislocate your knee and cannot fix it. You should also seek urgent medical care if you dislocate your knee so they can heal your knee.
Treatment options
Depending on how severe the conditions of your dislocation is, your treatment options may range from being in a knee immobilizer and crutches for a week to getting surgery with a long term recovery in physical therapy. Every person's knees are a little different so treatment options do vary.
Where to find medical care for Dislocated patella?
Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition
Prevention
To help prevent knee dislocation, you can do many things. You can go to physical therapy or you can purchase a knee brace or have one fitted or recommended by your Doctor or Physical Therapist. It depends on how strong the muscles are around the knee to strengthen the knee and really hold it in place better. If these muscles are weak, then physical therapy is something you should take into consideration.
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
If you have dislocated your knee, then there's always the possibility that it could pop out or dislocate again, so you want to be cautious as to physical activity to make sure that you do not re-injure the knee.
Possible complications
- Repeated dislocation
- Inability to engage in physical activity
- Limited range of motion
- Inability to bear weight on the leg
- Pain in and around the joint
- Swelling that limits range of motion