Is surgery for a dislocated patella ever required? or is it always an option? i play soccer and want to keep playing but i don't want surgery.

Sometimes.: If you have had only one dislocation, rehab is probably the way to go. If you have recurrent dislocations, then you should consider surgery. In most cases, if the initial dislocation is the result of a trauma, like a collision on the soccer field, the knee cap won't come out again. If it came out without any trauma, say you just turned around and it popped out, your risk is higher.