As the name suggests, a dislocated knee is when the bones slide out of place.  In order for this injury to occur, the ligaments holding your knee in place must be torn.  This rarely occurs, as it is difficult to tear these ligaments.  The most common times they tear are after car crashes, high falls, and other high speed injuries. When you dislocate your knee, it is obviously deformed - your kneecap is off center.

That is the most obvious of symptoms, but others are that your knee will be in extreme pain or you may not have any feeling below your knee.  This injury is considered very serious.  You should consult a doctor when any of these problems persist.  It can sometimes result in emergency vascular surgery in the leg.  Most times, however, they must reconstruct the torn ligaments in the knee. The most common reconstructed ligaments are either the ACL or the PCL. 

After a knee dislocation,some problems could persist.  One could be stiffness of the knee.  Another possible problem is instability of the knee, and it could give out.  You should stay with your prescribed physical rehabilitation to minimize these possible problems.  If there is a successful surgery (which there almost always is), knees can recover very close to normal.  Full recovery time could take between 3-5 months.

This injury interested me because it was strange and unique, and I wanted to see what it was all about.  Also, it meant I didn't have to look at too much blood and gore, so this seemed like the perfect match.

Bibliography -

     Cluett, Jonathan, and M.D.. "Knee Dislocation - Treatment of a Dislocated Knee Joint." About Orthopedics. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2009. <http://orthopedics.about.com/od/dislocations/a/knee.htm>.

     "Dislocated Knee." Emedicine Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2009. <www.emedicinehealth.com/knee_dislocation/article_em.htm>.

By: Braydon Weaver