Dislocated Kneecap
What happens when you dislocate your kneecap? What are the symptoms? And how do you treat a patella dislocation? Alex Dodds, Gloucestershire knee surgeon, explains.
How can you dislocate your kneecap?
The kneecap (patella) is a small bone the sits at the front of your knee where the thighbone and shinbone meet. If you place your finger on it as you raise and lower your leg, you’ll notice the kneecap glides up and down. It can do this because it sits in a groove at the bottom of the thighbone and top of the shinbone and it is held in place by several tendons and ligaments.
When you dislocate your knee cap, the bone jumps out of its groove and can no longer move as it should.
What causes a patella dislocation?
Most dislocated kneecaps are caused by impact or through sudden twists and turns. A fall or a sporting or dance injury are common causes.
Some people are more at risk of patella dislocation than others. Women, heavy and/or tall men, athletes and dancers (all of whom place more stress on the knee joint through activity or anatomy) and teenagers (whose growing bones increase the risk of dislocation) are more likely to dislocate their kneecap than others.
Some people are more prone to dislocation because they have patellar instability. This means the fibres holding the kneecap in place are looser than average.
What are the symptoms of a dislocated kneecap?
If you dislocate your kneecap, it will be painful. You may hear a pop and the knee may swell. Your knee may feel as though it is about to buckle, or that it has locked. You’ll struggle to walk because you won’t be able to place your weight on the knee joint.
How do you diagnose a dislocated kneecap?
Visit my Cheltenham and Gloucester knee clinic and we will use a combination of physical examination, X-rays or MRI scans to diagnose the problem.
Will a dislocated kneecap fix itself?
Most of the time the kneecap will slip back into place, but some people may need to attend hospital for it to be reduced (that is, to return the kneecap to its proper place). A first-time kneecap dislocation can usually be treated with physiotherapy as long as there are no other injuries to the knee.
How do you treat a dislocated kneecap?
Not every dislocated kneecap requires surgery, but some do. Some may require surgery to prevent the dislocation reoccurring.
Find out more about how we treat dislocated kneecaps.
See what our clients think
Appointments
To make an appointment please either fill in the contact form and you will be called back by our secretary to arrange a convenient appointment time or get in touch directly.
Call Chrissie Holmyard 01242 246549 at Nuffield Health, Cheltenham.
