Patellar Dislocation - Topic Overview
The kneecap (patella) is normally positioned over the front of the knee joint at the base of the thighbone (femur). A kneecap can be dislocated, or moved out of its normal position, when:
- The kneecap is out of place (patellar tracking disorder) and force is applied, causing dislocation.
- The foot is firmly planted pointing outward, and the knee is bent with the thigh turned inward. This kind of injury is common during many sports activities.
- The inner edge of the kneecap is hit, pushing it toward the outer side of the leg.
- The knee is swollen and force is applied, causing dislocation.
Symptoms of a dislocated kneecap may include:
Knee pain is incredibly common. In the United States, it's responsible for about 1/3 of all doctor's visits for muscle and bone pain. Knee pain is a special problem for athletes -- over half of all athletes endure it every year. Some of the most common reasons for knee pain are swollen or torn ligaments, meniscus (cartilage) tears, and runner's knee. But the knee is a complex joint, and there's plenty more that can go wrong. Other conditions that cause knee pain include: Bone chips...
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- Severe pain.
- A misshapen knee that looks like a bone is out of position.
- A popping sensation, followed by a feeling that something is out of place.
- Inability to bend or straighten the knee.
- Knee swelling.
- Cool, pale skin or numbness and tingling in or below the affected knee.
A dislocation can cause other problems even if the bone pops back into place.
- If the dislocation was due to a preexisting malalignment, the knee may dislocate again.
- Ligaments, tendons, muscles, and cartilage in or around the joint may stretch or tear.
- A piece of bone may break off somewhere in the knee joint.
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