A patella dislocation isn't usually serious and often returns to its place on its own. A dislocation is often more obvious. The affected knee will bend and won't be able to support your weight, and you may have significant swelling, pain, and stiffness. The kneecap may come back on its own, or you may need someone else's help to put it back in place.
Even if the kneecap returns to its place on its own, pain and swelling may persist. Pain is subjective to each individual, but most patellar dislocations can cause a moderate amount of pain. After that, rest, a knee brace and crutches will help reduce the swelling and allow the knee to heal. When this happens, the muscles and ligaments inside the knee are overstretched and damaged.
Most often, knee dislocations occur when a traumatic event pushes the bones of the knee joint out of place with great force. You may feel pain around your kneecap, or you may feel your knee coming out and coming back in. A knee dislocation occurs when the three bones in the knee are out of place and aren't aligned as they should be.
