Not sure exactly what you are referencing but I once dislocated my patella. Ortho dude popped it back in/over and worked on my leg for about 10-15 minutes checking the bend of my knee, listening to the joint, feeling it as he bent my leg, etc. (this was 30+ years ago)
Therapy: he had me stick my knee 5 minutes in ice water, 5 minutes in jacuzzi(hot water), repeat for 30 or so minutes starting and ending in cold.
Most importantly, he gave me knee joint tightening exercises to strengthen the muscles that hold your knee together:
Exercise he described:
sit on the edge of a couch, table, or chair with your leg supported till just before your knee.
with one leg sticking straight out from the table/chair and the other relaxed,
drop the leg from straight down by about 15 degrees.
(180 deg being straight, 195 deg dropped 15 off straight)
then bring it up to straight(180) and hold the muscle tight
drop it 15 degrees and then bring straight and hold it tight
(when fully straight you should feel the muscle on the inner upper part next to your patella bulging a bit and moreso as you get it stronger)
Repeat 15-20 times doing each leg after your set of 15-20.
Do this morning and night with the cold/hot treatments one cycle daily till any swelling is gone.
If doing squats, never let your injured leg bend past 90 degrees when you are doing them.
I didn't have to have surgery. Was good to go after about 2 weeks in a splint, 4 weeks total.
Good luck.