Patellar Dislocation - Treatment Options

Treatment Options

Two types of treatment options are typically available:

• Surgery
• Conservative treatment (rehabilitation and physical therapy)

Surgery may impede normal growth of structures in the knee, so doctors generally do not recommend knee operations for young people who are still growing. There are also risks of complications, such as an adverse reaction to anesthesia or an infection.

When designing a rehabilitation program, clinicians consider associated injuries such as chipped bones or soft tissue tears. Clinicians take into account the patient's age, activity level, and time needed to return to work and/or athletics. Doctors generally only recommend surgery when other structures in the knee have sustained severe damage, or specifically when there is:

• Concurrent osteochondral injury
• Continued gross instability
• Palpable disruption of the medial patellofemoral ligament and the vastus medialis obliquus
• High-level athletic demands coupled with mechanical risk factors and an initial injury mechanism not related to contact

Supplements like glucosamine and NSAIDs can be used to keep the knee strong.