A dislocated knee, specifically a patella (kneecap) dislocation, is a sudden, painful injury that often happens during sports, a twisting injury, a fall, or direct trauma. It is especially common in younger patients, including teenage and young adult athletes, and is seen more often in females. Many people wonder whether urgent care is the right place to seek help and what immediate steps are required for a safe recovery. Let’s break down what urgent care can and cannot do, drawing from my expertise as an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in knee injuries.
What Happens in a Patellar Dislocation?
The patella slides out of its normal groove on the femur, typically shifting to the outer (lateral) side of the knee. This event tears or severely stretches the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), causes joint swelling, and results in immediate, sometimes severe, pain. Even a first-time dislocation can damage the cartilage on the back of the kneecap or in the groove, which is one of the reasons advanced imaging is so important after this injury. It may also result in patellar instability or recurrent patellar dislocation. Usually, the kneecap either pops back into place on its own or remains visibly out of position, making the knee impossible to bend or bear weight on.
Can Urgent Care Fix a Patella Dislocation?
Urgent care can sometimes help with a simple patella (kneecap) dislocation in otherwise healthy patients, when there are no signs of a more serious injury. However, you should go directly to the Emergency Room if there is a clear severe injury, signs of nerve or blood vessel damage (numbness/circulation changes), or an open wound.
Here’s what urgent care can do well:
- Initial Assessment: Urgent care centers are equipped to provide first-line evaluation for traumatic knee injury events. They can confirm patella dislocation with a physical exam and X-rays. Please note that a normal X‑ray result does not rule out significant cartilage or MPFL injury, which is why it’s so important to follow-up with a specialist and often get Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
- Closed Reduction: If the patella remains out of place, urgent care practitioners can often guide it back into position using gentle maneuvers (without needing surgical incisions). This is called a closed reduction. A prompt reduction relieves pain and allows you to start bending your knee and weight bearing..
- Pain Control: Urgent care staff can provide ice, pain medication, and in rare cases mild sedation (if needed) during the reduction process.
- Immobilization: They may place your leg in a supportive brace or splint to limit movement and support your knee, usually for a short period, followed by guided physical therapy to restore motion and strength.
- Instructions for Rest & Elevation: Urgent care practitioners should refer you for an orthopaedic evaluation and advise you on how to manage swelling in the hours and days ahead.
Keep in mind that not all urgent care centers have X‑ray equipment or staff who are comfortable performing reductions, so you should be prepared to be redirected to a hospital emergency room.
When to Seek Further Care After a Patella Dislocation
While urgent care can stabilize a simple patella dislocation through reduction and help with basic pain management, it’s almost never the definitive end of treatment. You will require specialized follow-up care to make a full recovery.
Your next steps are likely to include:
Immediate Higher Level Care
Go directly to the ER, not just urgent care, if you notice any of the following:
- Obvious deformity of the whole leg or suspicion of a tibiofemoral dislocation (knee looks grossly out of alignment, not just the kneecap).
- Open wounds, active bleeding, or concern for fracture (heard a crack, cannot move the leg at all, foot looks rotated).
- Signs of compromised circulation or nerve injury: pale or cool foot, weak or absent pulses, numbness or inability to move the ankle or toes.
- Inability to reduce the patella in urgent care or persistent locking/blocking of motion.
Specialized Follow-up
As urgent care centers typically lack the necessary resources for comprehensive treatment, you must follow up with an orthopaedic specialist or Sports Medicine doctor as soon as possible after an injury. This specialist will almost always order advanced imaging (MRI), which is critical for identifying cartilage damage, ligament tears (especially the MPFL), and loose cartilage or small bone fragments that may not show up on X‑rays. Using this information, your surgeon will then have enough information about your injury to plan your next steps.
Long-Term Rehabilitation
Recovery relies on early, guided physical therapy after a brief period in a brace, which is essential for restoring motion, strength, and stability and helping to prevent future dislocations. These services are not available at urgent care facilities.
What About Complete Knee (Tibiofemoral) Dislocation?
This post focuses on dislocation of the kneecap (patella), which is common and usually treated non‑surgically in the short term. A complete knee dislocation between the femur and tibia (not just the kneecap) is a true orthopaedic emergency, much rarer and more dangerous than patellar dislocation. Such injuries can compromise arteries and nerves, and must be handled in a hospital. Urgent care facilities cannot address these types of injuries and will call for immediate EMS transport.
Urgent Care Provides Stabilization, Not Definitive Care
Urgent care centers are a helpful and timely first stop after a patellar dislocation. They can do a closed reduction, control pain, and apply a brace. However, to get a definitive diagnosis, long-term guidance, and corrective treatment, you’ll need to see an orthopaedic specialist. It’s always wise to pursue follow-up with an expert to minimize the risk of future problems and maximize your recovery.
For further information, see: Unstable Kneecap (Patellar Instability) – OrthoInfo.
For more on recovery steps and guidance on when to seek urgent vs. specialty care, here are some resources on my website:
- Patellar Instability
- My Kneecap Dislocated. What Should I Do?
- How Long Does MPFL Recovery Really Take?
- MPFL Reconstruction Surgery
- Patellofemoral Instability (PDF)
Without proper evaluation and treatment, repeated dislocations and untreated cartilage injury can increase the risk of arthritis in the kneecap joint later in life.
Prompt care for your dislocated kneecap is the first step; next, follow up with a knee specialist to protect the cartilage, reduce the risk of future dislocations and arthritis, and give your knee the best chance at a full recovery.
If you want an assessment or a second opinion, schedule an appointment with me.
The image for this post was created with AI.