1. Call 911 or Go to the Emergency Room
2. Control Swelling
- Ice the area.
3. Immobilize Dislocation
- Immobilize leg above and below the injured knee. Cardboard, magazines, or other stiff material can be used as splints.
- Do not try to push knee back into its original position. Manipulating a dislocated joint can cause severe injury.
4. Follow Up
- At the hospital, a doctor will realign the joint, perhaps under anesthesia, and assess how much the dislocation has damaged the bones and surrounding tissues and blood vessels.
- Treatment may include stabilizing the knee with splints. Surgery is sometimes necessary.