Patella Dislocation

Before we examine what happens when you dislocate your knee, let’s take a look at the anatomy of the joint. Your knee cap, or patella, is a triangular, free floating bone that rests in a groove on your femur called the trochlea. It’s held in place by your medial patellofemoral ligament, or MPFL. That way, when you bend your knee, your patella simply glides smoothly in your trochlea.

But sometimes, your patella can slip out of your trochlea. This can happen partially, called subluxation, or completely, called dislocation. Typically, this means your MPFL has been torn or stretched, and surgery is in order.

To fix the problem, your surgeon will actually reconstruct your MPFL with either your own tissue, or that of a donor. He or she will perform an arthroscopy to get a look inside your knee to fix any cartilage damage as well.

This is typically an outpatient procedure, so you can go home shortly after you’re done. However, you’ll need pain management for a few days, followed by physical therapy. You can probably expect a full recovery in about four to six months.