How To Tell If Your Knee Is Dislocated

Knee injuries are common, especially when you’re active or participate in various sporting events. One of the more devastating injuries to your knee is a dislocation, as it’s excruciating and leads to damage to your joint.

After a knee dislocation, it’s essential to seek help from the Vital Orthopedics team immediately. Dr. Robere Missirian is our in-house orthopedic specialist. Dr. Missirian evaluates your knee and listens to your symptoms to determine if you have a dislocated knee.

Understanding a knee dislocation

Your knee joint consists of three bones — your shinbone (tibia), your thighbone (femur), and your kneecap (patella). These bones meet with your kneecap in the middle to form your knee joint.

Typically, your kneecap sits in your trochlear groove, which allows it to move fluidly when you bend or flex your leg. You have several ligaments and tendons that keep your kneecap in place in the trochlear groove, especially during movement.

A knee dislocation causes your tendons and ligaments to stretch and tear. When you dislocate your knee, your kneecap moves out of the trochlear groove. You can’t move your knee up and down when it’s not in this groove.

In most cases of knee dislocations, the kneecap pops out to the side of your joint. A dislocation injury happens from a sudden twist or a significant impact on your knee.

A knee dislocation is severely painful and distressing until Dr. Missirian pops the kneecap back into place. You feel immediate relief when he corrects the dislocation.

Signs and symptoms of a knee dislocation

You must know what to look for when specific knee injuries occur. Since you likely don’t have an X-ray machine at home, you should watch out for the following signs and symptoms when it comes to a knee dislocation:

• A popping noise
• Trouble walking or standing
• Sudden, intense pain
• Immediate swelling
• Immediate knee buckling
• Bruising around the joint
• Locking sensation in your knee

Another common sign of knee dislocation is noticing that your kneecap, or patella, is obviously out of place. The patella won’t be in its usual location, but on one side or the other of your joint.

If you have any signs of a dislocated knee, you must seek treatment, as it can lead to severe damage to your knee joint.

What to do after a knee dislocation

If you think you’ve dislocated your knee, the first step is to stop what you’re doing and seek help right away. Treatment is crucial, as the tissues inside your knee joint are highly susceptible to damage.

The first step is immobilizing your knee joint when you come in for a knee dislocation. You can also do this beforehand, but be careful not to disrupt the injury and make things worse.

Once Dr. Missirian has stabilized your joint, he needs to put the kneecap back in place. Sometimes your kneecap pops back into place on its own, but if it doesn’t, Dr. Missirian will do it at the office.

Dr. Missirian needs to assess your knee joint for damage and further injury. He examines your knee and sends you for X-rays or an MRI to determine the extent of the damage in your knee after he resets the dislocation.

You may require physical therapy to strengthen the ligaments and tendons around your kneecap after knee dislocation. Physical therapy helps you maintain your joints to prevent dislocations in the future.

Dr. Missirian may also recommend anti-inflammatory medications or joint injections to help with the swelling after knee dislocation. He often uses these along with physical therapy to ensure you get back on your feet after your injury.

Call one of our conveniently located offices in Fort Myers, Hollywood, Lake Worth, or Pompano Beach, Florida, today to book an appointment. You can also request a consultation online.