Dislocated Kneecap Treatment in Schaumburg, IL
Patellar Dislocation
Your kneecap (patella) connects the muscles in the front of your thigh to your shinbone. The kneecap fits in a V-shaped trochlear groove located at the end of your femur where it slides in a structured up-and-down motion as you bend and straighten your knee. Patients experience kneecap instability — known medically as patellar dislocation — when the kneecap begins to move outside of the trochlear groove. This can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, or difficulty walking.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, our board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic knee specialists are here to help you find the relief you deserve:
Don't let a dislocated patella keep you from the activities you love. Our team can assess your condition and create a personalized treatment plan to improve stability, reduce discomfort, and restore your full range of motion. Request an appointment today to take the first step toward recovery.
Patellar Dislocation: Treatment Options
At Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, our experienced, board-certified specialists can diagnose and treat your knee condition. Our team will work with you to discern a treatment option best suited to your needs to ensure a quick and healthy recovery process. Here are a few ways in which this condition can be treated:
- Reduction: This is typically the first step, where a doctor manually pushes the dislocated kneecap back into its correct position.
- Exercises: A physical therapy program focused on strengthening the muscles around the knee, particularly the quadriceps, to help keep the kneecap properly aligned.
- Braces: Wearing a specialized knee brace can help stabilize the kneecap during daily activities and exercise, preventing it from slipping out of place again as you heal.
- Reconstructive surgery: For more severe or recurrent dislocations, this surgery — most often a medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction — repairs or rebuilds the ligament that holds the kneecap in place to restore long-term stability. The procedure is performed using a combination of arthroscopic (minimally invasive) and open techniques.
If you’re suffering from patellar dislocation, do not allow your condition to worsen. Schedule your first consultation with the team at Barrington Orthopedic Specialists today. If you’re in an emergency situation, visit the Immediate Care Clinic at our Schaumburg, IL location.
Orthopedic Knee Specialists at BOS
Meet the sports medicine and knee specialists who diagnose and treat patellar dislocation and kneecap instability, including MPFL reconstruction for patients across the Barrington Orthopedic Specialists network.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Causes an Unstable Kneecap?+
The kneecap connects the muscles in the front of the thigh to the shinbone (tibia). As you bend or straighten your leg, the kneecap is pulled up or down.
The thighbone (femur) has a V-shaped notch (trochlear groove) at one end to accommodate the moving kneecap. In a normal knee, the kneecap fits nicely in the groove. But if the groove is uneven or too shallow, the kneecap could slide off, resulting in a partial or complete dislocation.
A sharp blow to the kneecap, as in a fall, could also pop the kneecap out of place.
What Are The Symptoms of Unstable Kneecap?+
- Swelling and stiffness
- Kneecap dislocates with normal daily movements
- Knee catches during movement
- Pain in the front of the knee that increases with activity
What Are The Nonsurgical Treatment Options For Unstable Kneecap?+
If the kneecap has been completely dislocated out of its groove, the first step is to return the kneecap to its proper place. This process is called reduction. Sometimes, reduction happens spontaneously. Other times, your doctor will have to apply gentle force to push the kneecap back in place.
A dislocation may cause damage to the underside of the kneecap and the end of the thighbone, which can lead to additional pain and damage to the cartilage on either the undersurface of the kneecap or covering the thighbone. Occasionally, a loose piece of cartilage is created. Some patients may need arthroscopic surgery to correct this condition.
For a patellar dislocation or subluxation (partial dislocation), your doctor may recommend nonsurgical treatments, such as exercises and braces. Exercises will help strengthen the muscles in your thigh so that the kneecap stays aligned. A stabilizing brace may also be prescribed.
What Are The Surgical Treatment Options For Patellar Dislocation?+
Surgical intervention can address this issue through various techniques tailored to the specific cause of the instability. For instance, a common procedure called MPFL (medial patellofemoral ligament) reconstruction rebuilds the ligament on the inner side of the knee that normally holds the kneecap in place, using a tendon graft to restore support and help it glide smoothly within its groove.
Conversely, if tissues on the outer side of the knee are too tight and are pulling the kneecap out of place, a lateral release surgery can be performed to loosen these tissues, correcting the alignment.