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How long does it take to heal a broken patella?
Recovery
- Pain Management. Most fractures hurt moderately for a few days to a couple of weeks. ...
- Rehabilitation. Whether your treatment is surgical or nonsurgical, rehabilitation will play a vital role in getting you back to your daily activities.
- Weight Bearing. Your doctor will tell you when you can begin to bear weight on your leg. ...
What do they do for a broken patella?
What You Need to Know
- Patella (kneecap) fractures (broken kneecap) are common injuries. ...
- Fractures of the patella are most often caused by a direct blow to the knee, such as a fall or motor vehicle accident.
- Kneecap fractures can be simple or complex. ...
- Rehabilitation focuses on improving range of motion, building up muscle strength and decreasing knee stiffness. ...
What exercises should I do after fractured patella?
- Begin with walking or freestyle swimming.
- Add sports that require jumping or making sharp cuts last.
- Do not do any sport or activity that increases pain.
What is the recovery time for patella surgery?
- The severity of your injury
- Whether your treatment was surgical or nonsurgical
- The time needed for rehabilitation
How long does it take to recover from a fractured patella?
Depending on your age and health, it takes about three to six months to recover from a broken kneecap, but very severe patellar injuries may take longer. For a time, you may be advised to avoid climbing stairs, squatting, kneeling or other activities that place strain on the knee joint.
Can a patella fracture heal without surgery?
Stable patella fracture: In a stable fracture, also called a “nondisplaced” fracture, the broken pieces of your bone remain essentially in the right place. They may still be connected to each other, or they may be separated by a millimeter or two. This type of fracture usually heals well without surgery.
What is the fastest way to heal a fractured patella?
As the fractured patella begins to heal, your doctor may recommend a technique called electronic bone stimulation. This painless therapy may help speed the rate of bone healing and takes place in the doctor's office or at NYU Langone's Bone Healing Center.
Is a broken patella serious?
A patellar fracture is a serious injury that can make it difficult or even impossible to straighten your knee or walk. Some simple patellar fractures can be treated by wearing a cast or splint until the bone heals. In most patellar fractures, however, the pieces of bone move out of place when the injury occurs.
Can you walk after patella surgery?
Although crutches or a cane may be needed for about a month following surgery, you probably will be able to put a little weight on your knee and begin walking a few days after surgery. The pain typically feels like you bumped into a table.
How do you sleep with a broken patella?
Keep your leg elevated to reduce pain and swelling. When sleeping, put a pillow under the injured leg. When sitting, support the injured leg so it's above the level of your heart. This is very important during the first 2 days (48 hours).
What is the most common complication following patellar fracture surgery?
Introduction: The most common major complications following surgical fixation of patellar fractures are infection, nonunion and reoperation.
How to heal a fractured patella?
As the fractured patella begins to heal, your doctor may recommend a technique called electronic bone stimulation. This painless therapy may help speed the rate of bone healing and takes place in the doctor’s office or at NYU Langone’s Bone Healing Center . A doctor places a small electrode or electrodes—which are flat discs ...
What is the best medicine for patella fracture?
While the fracture heals, a doctor may recommend pain medication to make you more comfortable. For some people, an over-the-counter medicine, such as acetaminophen, works well.
How long does it take for a patella fracture to heal?
Physical therapy may continue once a week for six to eight weeks or until the patella fracture is healed completely.
How long does it take to heal a knee injury?
Physical Therapy. As soon as you can bend your injured knee without pain, NYU Langone doctors recommend physical therapy. This may be one to six weeks after injury. Physical therapists at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation can tailor a rehabilitation plan to help you build strength and flexibility in the knee and surrounding muscles.
How to restore range of motion in knee?
Physical therapy can also restore range of motion in your knee. Simple weight-bearing exercises, such as leg raises, can help to strengthen the muscles around the injured knee. Strong muscles improve mobility and also support the knee and protect it from another injury.
What You Need to Know
Patella (kneecap) fractures (broken kneecap) are common injuries. About 1% of all broken bones are broken kneecaps.
What is a kneecap fracture?
A kneecap (patella) fracture is a break of the bone located on the front of the knee joint. The patella is a sesamoid bone: a round bone embedded in a tendon that shields and protects a joint. In the case of the patella, ligaments attach it to both the thigh muscles (quadriceps) and the shinbone (tibia).
Types of Kneecap Fractures
The type of patella fracture depends on the mechanism and severity of the injury. It can be affected by your weight and general health.
What causes kneecap fractures?
Patella fractures are injuries often associated with a blow to the knee. Common causes include:
Kneecap Fracture Diagnosis
Your doctor may use some of the following techniques to determine if you have fractured your patella:
Treatment for a Fractured Kneecap
Treatment for patella fracture varies depending on how severe the break is, as well as your age, health and other factors.
Recovery and Complications After a Patella Fracture
The knee is a complex joint that bears weight. Even after treatment, you may experience continued pain and reduced range of motion. Post-traumatic arthritis (thinning of cartilage due to trauma) of the knee is a common complication of patella fractures and other knee injuries.
What is patella fracture?
A patella fracture is an injury to the kneecap. The kneecap is one of three bones that make up the knee joint. The patella is coated with cartilage on its undersurface and is important in providing the strength of extension (straightening) of the knee joint. Verywell / Gary Ferster.
How long does it take to recover from a patellar fracture?
It can take three to six months, on average, to return to prior activity levels after treatment for a patellar fracture. 1 Your recovery time will depend on your physical therapy goals, whether you had surgery or nonsurgical treatment, and the seriousness of your injury.
Why does my kneecap fracture?
There are certain situations when the kneecap may fracture even with minor injuries. Sometimes these injuries are pathologic fractures —bone fractures that occur as a result of weak bone. Pathologic fractures can be caused by osteoporosis (thin bone), bone infection, or tumors.
How painful is a patella fracture?
Pain: Patella fractures are generally quite uncomfortable. Keeping the knee straight can help significantly with discomfort, and bending the joint is typically very painful. Swelling: Swelling and bruising around the front of the knee is typical of a patella fracture. As days go by, it is not uncommon for the swelling to extend down the leg, ...
Why is it important to realign the bones and cartilage surface of the kneecap?
One of the important aspects of surgery is to realign the bones and cartilage surface of the kneecap to minimize the development of arthritis of the knee joint. Because of damage to the knee joint cartilage when a fracture occurs, there is a higher chance of the development of arthritis of the joint.
Why does my knee swell?
The swelling is caused by bleeding from the fractured bone ends into the knee joint. Patients with a large amount of blood in the knee may benefit from draining the blood for pain relief. 1 Immobilizing the knee with a knee brace will also help minimize discomfort.
How are fractured ends held in place?
The fractured ends of the bone are realigned and held in place with some combination of pins, screws, and wires. 1 In some cases, a portion of the patella can simply be removed, but this is usually done for smaller fracture fragments.
What happens if you break a patella bone?
If the pieces of bone are out of place (displaced), you will most likely need surgery. Fractured patellar bones that are not close together often have difficulty healing or may not heal. The thigh muscles that attach to the top of the patella are very strong and can pull the broken pieces out of place during healing.
Why is the patella vulnerable to fracture?
Because the patella acts as a shield for your knee joint, it is vulnerable to fracture if you fall directly onto your knee or hit it against the dashboard in a vehicle collision. A patellar fracture is a serious injury that can make it difficult or even impossible to straighten your knee or walk.
What causes patellar fractures?
Patellar fractures are most often caused by: 1 Falling directly onto the knee 2 Receiving a sharp blow to the knee, such as might occur during a head-on vehicle collision if your kneecap is driven into the dashboard
Where does a fracture occur in the knee?
A break can occur at the top, center, or lower part of the bone. Sometimes, fractures occur in more than one area of the kneecap. This x-ray of a knee taken from the side shows a patella that has been fractured in three places.
What is a stable fracture?
Stable fracture. This type of fracture is nondisplaced. The pieces of bone may remain in contact with each other or be separated by just a millimeter or two. In a stable fracture, the bones usually stay in place during healing.
What happens if you have a fractured bone in your knee?
In this condition, blood from the fractured bone ends collects inside the joint space, causing painful swelling. If you have a large amount of blood in your knee, your doctor may drain it to help relieve your pain. Your doctor will also order x-rays to help diagnose your fracture.
Why is it important to treat an open fracture?
Open fractures are particularly serious because, once the skin is broken, there is a higher risk for infection in both the wound and the bone. Immediate treatment is required to prevent infection.
What is a patella fracture?
Kneecap (patella) fracture. The kneecap is a small bone at the front of the knee at the point where the thigh bone and shin bone meet. It protects the knee joint and connects muscles from the shin bone to the thigh. Types of kneecap fracture include: Stable fracture: the bone remains in line and can heal easily.
How to tell if a fractured knee is displaced?
In most cases, he will arrange for you to have an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis.
What is a fracture that breaks into more than three pieces?
Displaced fracture: the bone is broken and separated, and the joint surface (cartilage) may also be damaged. Comminuted fracture: the bone breaks into more than three pieces. It can be stable or displaced.
Can a kneecap fracture heal itself?
Non-surgical treatment: if the fracture is stable, it may heal by itself. You will need to wear a cast to keep the leg straight and hold the bones in place so they can mend naturally. Surgery: if your kneecap fracture is not stable, you may need surgery to remove loose bone fragments and/or fix the fracture into place.
What to do if your kneecap is broken?
Medicines can help prevent or fight pain or a bacterial infection. You may also need a Td vaccine. This vaccine is a booster shot to help prevent tetanus. You may need the Td vaccine if bone broke through the skin.
What are the symptoms of a patellar fracture?
What are the signs and symptoms of a patellar fracture? Pain when your knee is touched or when you move your leg. Swelling and bruising around your knee. Being able to straighten your leg but not to bend it. Not being able to stand up or put weight on your leg.
How to help knee pain when walking?
Crutches help rest and support your knee when you walk. Your healthcare provider will tell you when you can start to use crutches. Follow instructions about how much weight to put on your leg. Apply ice to help decrease swelling and pain. Use an ice pack, or put crushed ice in a plastic bag.
How to remove a kneecap?
Surgery may also be used to remove part or all of your kneecap. Physical therapy may be recommended. A physical therapist teaches you exercises to help improve movement and strength, and to decrease pain.
How to get a knee to feel better?
Use an ice pack, or put crushed ice in a plastic bag. Cover it with a towel before you place it on your knee or supportive device. Apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes every hour for 2 days , or as directed. Elevate your knee above the level of your heart as often as you can.
How long does physical therapy last for patella fracture?
An NYU Langone physical therapist can tailor an exercise regimen to your needs. Physical therapy appointments usually continue twice a week for six weeks as you continue to build strength ...
What is the best way to repair a fractured kneecap?
Surgery is sometimes needed to repair and stabilize the patella, or kneecap, after a fracture. Orthopedic surgeons at NYU Langone have the expertise to determine when surgery is the best option to restore knee function and which surgical technique is most appropriate.
How long does it take for a patella to be immobilized?
If the patella was fractured into many pieces, or if a bone fragment extended through the skin, the knee may need to be immobilized in a cast or brace for an additional three to six weeks.
Why do surgeons make incisions in kneecaps?
First a surgeon makes an incision over the kneecap in order to see the pieces of broken bone and assess how well they can be put back together. If any bone fragments are too small to be put back into position, the surgeon may remove them.
Why do you move your knee after knee surgery?
Moving the knee soon after surgery helps to speed healing and prevent a complication, such as a blood clot that develops deep in a vein in the leg. Before you leave the hospital, your doctor provides you with a knee splint to be worn for the first three to six days after surgery. This allows the incision to heal.
What to expect after knee surgery?
What to Expect After Surgery. After surgery, a pain management specialist ensures sure you have medication to help you feel comfortable while the knee heals. A physical therapist visits before you leave the hospital to assess the range of motion of the repaired knee.
What is displaced fracture?
Fractures that require surgery tend to be displaced fractures, meaning the patella has been broken into many different fragments that have separated from each other. In addition, surgery is typically scheduled immediately if any of the bone fragments have broken through the skin, called an open fracture. If the tendons or ligaments surrounding the ...
What is a broken patellar fracture?
Broken knee cap. When the front part of your knee that acts a shield is damaged, it leaves your knee joint exposed and vulnerable. Broken kneecaps are not only extremely painful but this type of injury is very severe and one that needs to be correctly diagnosed and treated as a matter of urgency.
How to fix a kneecap injury?
Keep your injured leg elevated. Take over-the-counter pain relief medication. If the damage to your kneecap is severe, you should ask your doctor for stronger pain relief medication which they would prescribe for you to take, bearing in mind that you should only take the amount prescribed.
How long does it take for a kneecap fracture to heal?
If you suffered a minor fracture to your kneecap, the healing time typically takes anything from 4 to 6 weeks. However, with the right rehabilitation, you could help speed up a fractured kneecap healing time considerably. If, however, your injury was very severe, you could be off your feet anything from 6 to 12 weeks.
What type of injury can you sustain to your kneecap?
It is also worth noting that you can sustain various types injuries to your kneecap which are as follows: A stable fracture – this is where a bone moves slightly out of position and remains that way during the healing process.
How long does it take to recover from a broken kneecap?
In the majority of cases, most people who suffer a broken kneecap are able to return to work and carry out normal daily activities in anything from 3 to 6 months but should you have sustained a very severe fracture to your kneecap, it could take even longer for you to make a full recovery.
What happens if you break your kneecap?
When you sustain a broken kneecap, it’s the small bone that is found at the front of your knee that protects your knee that is damaged. It is the type of the injury that happens if you are involved in a road traffic accident when your knee bangs into the dashboard or when you fall heavily onto a hard surface on your knees.
Where does a kneecap fracture occur?
A fracture can happen at the lower part of the bone, in the centre or at the top but can also occur in several places. It is also worth noting that you can sustain various types injuries to your kneecap which are as follows:
How long does it take to heal a patella fracture?
If your fractured patella was treated without surgery, you can expect your initial recovery time to take about four to six weeks. This is how long it usually takes any broken bone to heal, and you'll likely be wearing a cast this entire time. That does not mean your kneecap will be fully functional when the cast comes off, however. Physical rehabilitation can start at this point, but it may take eight months or longer for you to make a full recovery.
What is the procedure to fix a fractured kneecap?
Stainless steel wires or screws will have to be used to fix and straighten the fractured bone, and a partial or total patellectomy may be required. A total patellectomy, in which the kneecap is removed (later to be replaced with an artificial version), is the most serious kind the treatment, and it is suggested only for ...
What is the patella of the knee?
The patella is a bone positioned in the front of the knee joint, where it acts as a protective "armor" — that's why it's more popularly known as a kneecap. You can feel your kneecaps when you place a hand over one of your knees, and its shape is something between round and triangular. Besides protecting the quadriceps and patellar tendons, ...
What is the process of blood filling the area around a fractured patella called?
The process in which blood fills the area around the fracture is called hemarthrosis . X-rays will help in making the diagnosis of a fractured patella, as well as in understanding and recognizing the type of the fracture, but before that, when you arrive at the doctor's office or ER, you can expect a physical exam.
Can you recover from a patella fracture?
Because it is not unusual to deal with chronic pain and muscle weakness after a patella fracture, it is especially important to take physical rehabilitation and your doctor's instructions very seriously. This approach will give you the best chance of recovering fully.
Can you walk with a hairline fracture?
The person will not be able to walk, to raise their leg, or to straighten it. If the fracture is hairline or undisplaced (that is, a fairly minor fracture), the swelling may not be so strong, and the only symptoms may be tenderness over the patella bone and obligatory bruising. In displaced fractures of the patella bone, ...
Patella Fracture Symptoms
Causes
- A patella fracture most often occurs from a fall directly onto the kneecap.1 When the fracture occurs due to this type of direct trauma, there is often damage to the overlying skin, and because of the limited amount of soft tissue, this can sometimes become an open fracture. Patella fractures can also occur when the quadriceps muscle is contracting but the knee joint is straight…
Treatment
- Patella fractures should be seen in the emergency room. X-rays will determine the type of fracture and the amount of displacement (separation) of the fracture.1One of the critical factors in determining treatment is a thorough examination. Specifically, healthcare providers will check if the patient can perform a straight leg raise. A straight leg raise test is done by having the patien…
Rehab After Surgery
- Following surgery, you will need to keep your knee in a straight position to allow for initial healing.1You will be given a hinged brace, cast, or splint to wear immediately after surgery that will help with immobilization. Exactly when the knee can begin moving depends on your surgeon's protocol, which is specific to your surgery. Gentle motion can usually begin in the first days to w…
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do you sleep with a broken patella?
Since you’ll be wearing a brace, cast, or splint to keep your knee immobile, sleeping on your back is likely to be most comfortable position. You may also want to use pillows underneath the knee to keep it slightly elevated. Icing the knee a half-hour to an hour before bed, and taking any paink… - What is the average healing time of a broken patella?
It can take three to six months, on average, to return to prior activity levels after treatment for a patellar fracture.1Your recovery time will depend on your physical therapy goals, whether you had surgery or nonsurgical treatment, and the seriousness of your injury.