Dislocated knee

[lucie333]

Last night at work ( I'm a home carer )
I fell and dislocated my knee, I've no idea how it happened as I just turned and it popped out, ambulance was called and morphine was given. I was given a splint and crutches, I can't walk at all, it's far too painful, is that normal ?

Were you taken to hospital?

Yes, I can't remember much of what was said at hospital as I was still very high on morphine when I get discharged, still don't feel 100% even now. They did say my knee isn't fully back yet

Hi Op

How are you feeling now?

When you say dislocated knee- do you mean kneecap?

My kneecap has popped out several times (first few times when I was a teenager but once more recently- 20+ years later). Previously it had gone back in by itself but paramedics had to do it the last time. No morphine so I didn't go to hospital.

It is painful but I can normally hobble around the house without a crutch within a day or so. Very short walks are ok after 2 weeks but it takes 6-8 weeks before I am dully mobile (I do need to build up slowly). Physiotherapy helped last time.

Are you sure they said not fully back? Should have been put back in.

All the best with your recovery.

@Stoic123
Thank you for reply, Yes sorry it was my knee cap not knee. I'm not in a lot of pain but can't put any weight on it as my knee feels very unstable, I have a splint I have to wear for 2 weeks along with crutches, paramedics couldn't get mines back in, doctor did eventually. Yes definitely said it hasn't gone fully back into place but said not to worry as this isn't unusual, that's all I can remember really. I really can't afford 2 weeks off work 😢

Both of mine used to it all the time so ended up having surgery on both. I remember it being very painful and swollen for a few days after. I would say keep an eye on it. Did they suggest RICE? (Rest, Ice, compression and elevation)

Can you clench your quad? My husband had similar and his knee cap was on the side of his leg. He got sent home with a splint and was told to take it off when he went to bed. He knew it was far too unstable for that and we pushed to get it looked into further as they were just going off an X-ray. long story short after much pushing to get a CT scan .....It ended up that he had completely snapped his patella tendon. If we hadn't insisted and spoken to someone who's first question was my question at the top I don't think he'd be mobile now. He had a two and a half hour operation to reattach the tendon to his knee cap using strands of his hamstring. Just over a year later and he is nearly back to normal but still needs physio for some time to come.

@lucie333 - it will feel a bit vulnerable at first but you should, as @seratoninmoonbeams says, be able to clench quads/do simple leg lifts etc.

RICE then physio is normal route if nothing snapped. Do you have a follow up appointment booked in with a clinic/doctor?

If you haven't already been referred for NHS physio - do an online self-referral as soon as possible. I got an appointment within a week and the physio did a thorough examination/will be able to tell if structural problem.

@seratoninmoonbeams yes can definitely clench my quads, it just feels very loose still, I can't bend it at all- it feels like it's going to pop! But that could be normal, I wouldn't say I'm in any pain at all, just uncomfortable. I can't put any weight on it as it just feel very unstable not painful, I'm petrified it pops back out it was absolute agony! Worst pain I've ever experienced