The Patella

The Patella is a small bone in the front of the knee that glides up and down in the femoral groove in the femur as the knee bends and straightens. A dislocation of the patella occurs when the patella completely comes out of the femoral groove. Most commonly, patella are dislocated by a plant and twist movement, or after direct contact. Rest and special knee braces are used to treat this type of injury, and surgery is rarely needed.