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A dislocated kneecap is a common injury that normally takes about six weeks
to heal.
It's often caused by a blow or a sudden change in direction when the leg is
planted on the ground, such as during sports or dancing.
The kneecap (patella) normally sits over the front of the knee. It glides over a
groove in the joint when you bend or straighten your leg.
When the kneecap dislocates, it comes out of this groove and the supporting
tissues can be stretched or torn.
You'll be sent home with painkillers and your leg will normally be immobilised
in a removable splint to begin with. A few weeks of physiotherapy will be
recommended to aid your recovery.
Surgery is usually only necessary if there was a fracture or another
associated injury, such as a ligament tear. It may also be done if you have
dislocated your kneecap at least once before.
Read more about repeated kneecap dislocations.
Recovering from a dislocated kneecap
Your knee may hurt at first and you'll probably need to take painkillers, such
as paracetamol or ibuprofen. See your GP if this doesn't control the pain.
During the first few days, you can help reduce any swelling by keeping your
leg elevated when sitting and holding an ice pack to your knee for 10 to 15
minutes every few hours.
A physiotherapist will teach you some exercises to do at home to strengthen
the muscles that stabilise your kneecap and improve the movement of your
knee.
The splint should only be kept on for comfort and should be removed to do
these exercises as soon as you're able to move your leg.
It usually takes about six weeks to fully recover from a dislocated kneecap,
although sometimes it can take a bit longer to return to sports or other
strenuous activities.
Ask your GP, consultant or physiotherapist for advice about returning to your
normal activities.
If you keep dislocating your kneecap
Most people who dislocate their kneecap won't dislocate it again. But in
some people it can keep happening.
This often occurs if the tissues that support the kneecap are weak or loose,
such as in people with hypermobile joints, or because the groove in the bone
beneath the kneecap is too shallow or uneven.
Regularly doing the exercises your physiotherapist recommends can help
strengthen the tissues that hold the kneecap in place and reduce the risk of
dislocating it again.
Surgery may occasionally be needed if the kneecap keeps dislocating. A
common procedure is a medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) repair.
This is where the connective tissue (ligament) that helps hold the kneecap in
place is repaired and strengthened.