The problem is anterior knee pain, which is worse with sitting in a tight space with the knee flexed, or on descending stairs or slopes. Patients may complain of some snapping, popping, or crepitus about the patella. Radiographs of the knee are usually negative. However, lateral displacement of the patella on sunrise films may be present. Patellar Dislocations Clinical features.
Patients complain of the knee giving way or popping out.
The patella may remain dislocated when patient is seen, but many spontaneously reduce. The medial retinaculum is tender. Between occurrences the patella is observed to have considerable lateral mobility, particularly during active extension. The patellar ligament may be noted to angulate laterally from the axis of the quadriceps muscle. Encourage the patient to relax the quadriceps and push the patella medially back into place.