Knee Joint Dislocation

Knee Joint Dislocation

This is a rare injury that only happens when the knee experiences great force. It is a serious injury and requires immediate medical care.

Knee joint dislocation
Knee joint dislocation

How does knee joint dislocation occur?

Firstly, a knee joint dislocation occurs when the position of the thighbone relative to the shinbone becomes disrupted at the knee joint. Certainly, it can happen through trauma to your leg, like from falls, sports injuries, and car accidents. 

Knee Joint Dislocation vs. Kneecap Dislocation

Secondly, there is a difference between knee joint dislocation and kneecap dislocation. If your knee is dislocated, your thigh and shin bones may be completely or partially out of place. However, a kneecap dislocation is when your kneecap (patella) slips out from the patella-femoral groove. Doctors have been known to sometimes call this a patellar subluxation.

Are knee joint dislocations painful?

Thirdly, it’s commonly understood a dislocated knee will always cause severe pain in the knee. Additionally, the knee will look deformed and there will be no feeling below the knee. If the knee relocates, it will become swollen from fluid in the knee and be painful with any movement.

How long does it take to recover from a dislocated knee?

Fourthly, some have require extensive physical therapy to recover from a knee dislocation. The recovery time depends on the needed treatment and any factors that are found to show service could reoccur. Research suggests that a first-time dislocation of the kneecap can take at least 6 weeks to heal.

In conclusion, our unique approach to pain management is a specialty at Carolinas Pain Center.  As a result each patient receives an individualized, multidisciplinary approach to care and treatment plan. We have two conveniently located offices in Huntersville, NC and Charlotte, NC.

References-

Jeffrey L Jackson Patrick G O’MalleyKurt Kroenke 2003 Oct 7;139(7):575-88. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-139-7-200310070-00010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14530229/
2018 Dec;26(4):150-152. doi: 10.1097/JSA.0000000000000220. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30395055/
2019 Apr;38(2):247-260. doi: 10.1016/j.csm.2018.11.007. Epub 2019 Jan 19.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30878047/