What is Patella dislocation? 

When the Knee cap (patella) comes out of its place it most commonly shifts outwards leading to the person falling down or buckling of the knee.

What is recurrent dislocation of the patella? 

Once dislocated if proper rehab is not undertaken or if there is some underlying bony problem with the knee alignment then the patella keeps on dislocating repeatedly especially on pivoting manoeuvres leading to recurrent dislocation of the patella.

What are the causes of recurrent dislocation of patella?

Improper treatment of the first episode is one of the major causes followed by abnormal bony structure of the knee which leads to abnormal movement of the patella & dislocation.

Which age group is most commonly affected by patella dislocation?

Most common age group is usually teen age as they are active in sports & also bone growth  issues manifest in this age group tough they are mostly present since birth. Very rarely it is seen in middle age females due to poor muscle control.

What are the symptoms of Patella dislocation?

Immediately after the episode there is severe pain & swelling in the knee. Most of the times it spontaneously reduces back. The acute discomfort reduces over a period of 3 weeks but the fear of redislocation is there especially in recurrent cases. There is persistent pain to touch on the inner side of the knee cap.

What is the management of dislocation of the patella?

The best way to manage a patella dislocation is to avoid recurrence of the same. So the first episode should be completely investigated for bony abnormality & if there is none then proper rehabilitation should be carried out. Otherwise it is bound to re dislocate in due course of time.

If there is a bone  abnormality it should be dealt with appropriately. 

In recurrent cases if there is no bony problem then medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction is indicated which should be good enough to treat the problem

To summarise Patella dislocation is best treated at the first episode & negligence of it will lead to redislocation