Dislocated Knee Treatment

Dislocation of the knee is an extremely serious type of injury. It is, when the femur bone and the shin bone lose contact with each other. Often, people confuse knee dislocation with the kneecap dislocation, also called patellar dislocation. In this type of injury, the kneecap comes out of its groove, which is located at the end of the femur bone. Read further to know more about knee dislocation, dislocated knee symptoms and dislocated knee treatment.

Causes of Knee Dislocation

Knee dislocation is a traumatic injury, which normally happens due to severe fall, sports injuries or accidents. There is another type of injury associated with knee called subluxation. This happens, when the knee 'gives out' due to a damaged ligament. In this case, the knee slips back to its appropriate position. However, in case of dislocation, the knee will have to be reset to its proper position.

Dislocated Knee Symptoms

The most prominent symptom of dislocated knee is large amount of pain in the knee. The peculiarity of pain in the knee in case of dislocation is, that the pain increases in front of the knee, when there is any movement of the knee. In some cases, there will be no sensation below the knee. If the dislocated knee relocates back to its original position, there will be swelling on the knee. In case of dislocation of the knee, some people will not be able to feel a pulse in the foot. Along with knee pain, tenderness can also be seen in some cases. Some people may also experience difficulty using or moving the leg in the normal manner. In case of movement, there can be creaking or cracking sounds in the knee.

Dislocated Knee Treatment

If the knee is dislocated due to an injury, then it is important that first aid be administered at home. Cold compress of ice can be placed on the knee to control pain and also to decrease it. Remember, this is just a first aid, till the patient is seen by the doctor. The dislocated knee recovery time depends on the intensity of the problem.

When the problem of knee dislocation is in the nascent stage, in the treatment for dislocated knee, the emphasis is on proper treatment to the vascular or nerve injuries, if any. After the nerve injuries are treated, next come the ligaments, cartilages and meniscus, to which damage has occurred, when the knee was dislocated. More often than not, it is necessary to reconstruct the damage caused to the ligaments. In most of the cases, a number of ligaments have to be reconstructed. The next step is to put the knee back in its place, in other words, relocate the knee. Read about knee injury recovery.

A surgery might be required, if there is no pulse felt at the ankle. In case the artery is injured or damaged, a surgery may have to be carried out to rectify the problem. If it is impossible to move the bones back to their right position, a surgery will have to be carried out. Stitches will have to put up if there is a cut on the skin and the bone is exposed.

In some cases, in spite of taking treatment for a dislocated knee, there are chances of knee stiffness and chronic instability of the knee affecting the knee. For that, it is important to follow the knee exercises and physical therapy prescribed to the patient. When the instructions about knee strengthening exercises are followed, the chances of developing any complications afterward are minimized.