Thanks for your question. If you have developed recurrent dislocations, pain around the front of the knee, swelling and crunching, it is possible that you might develop wearing of the cartilage behind the knee cap.
This could potentially lead to wear and tear (degenerative) changes in the future. In this scenario, it would be good to limit these changes by doing early rehab and strengthening around the knee.
You might benefit from seeing a sports/msk physician or a physiotherapist in the first instance as they can look into non operative, conservative measures to help with your symptoms. You might need an X-ray or other investigation after your assessment.
Hope this helps.
Bw
Dr Dinesh