JC...how long does dislocated patella take to heal??

[70Chip]

I had this injury when I was in high school. For the first 1 to 2 weeks it hurt like hell and I thought that I was going to be on crutches for a long, long time. Then, it started feeling a lot better rather quickly and within 3 to 4 weeks I was walking normally again. So, I'd say there is an outside chance he could play against Dallas, but he wouldn't be 100% and the thing could pop out again at any moment. I never had any surgery or anything and to this day if my knee gets put under pressure in just the right position I can feel it start to go again.

Also, the pain associated with the initial dislocation and the three to four subsequent re-dislocations I have had is EXTREME. What happened was, I was playing basketball in the driveway, drove hard to the hoop, and and smashed my knee on the bumper of the family Oldsmobile. I looked down and my kneecap was facing sideways. I reached down and popped that sucker back in. Owie! I went to the emergency room, where x-rays were negative and the doctor told me to consult a specialist about soft-tissue damage - gristle, tendons, etc I suppose. I never got around to it.