Discharge advice following Patellar Dislocation
Patient information leaflets
NHS Borders
"Information given on this site is not meant to take the place of a talk with your doctor or health worker."
You have suffered a dislocation of the patella (kneecap) which is now back in its normal position.
If you have been struggling to walk you may have been placed in a knee brace to assist with mobilisation.
Ideally you should aim to wean yourself from using the knee brace over the next 2-4 days and increase the
movement in the joint. This is important to maintain muscle tone and reduce risk of blood clots developing
in the leg.
Patellar dislocations may recur. Strengthening exercises of the supporting muscles, in particular the quadriceps, reduce the likelihood of this occurring. It is therefore important to refrain from keeping the knee
immobilised for prolonged periods. The exercises below give basic manoeuvres to improve muscle tone.
A referral has been made to physiotherapy. Initial follow up will be under the physiotherapy department, with
referral to the orthopaedic department only if recurrent dislocations occur or physiotherapy diagnose significant instability despite their input.
Should you have any worries or concerns following discharge from hospital, or have not weaned off your
splint within 10 days, GP can assess and refer back to hospital if needed.
