- Urgent Care. Patella fractures can cause extensive bleeding into the joint. ...
- Nonsurgical Treatments. Physical therapy and walking aids to help you regain strength and independence.
- Kneecap Repair Surgery. Surgical treatment is typically recommended for more severe kneecap fractures. Remove fragments of bone that are too small to reattach.
What is the best treatment for a fractured knee cap?
- Improve range of motion in your knee
- Strengthen your leg muscles
- Decrease stiffness
What is the recovery time for a broken knee cap?
- The severity of your injury
- Whether your treatment was surgical or nonsurgical
- The time needed for rehabilitation
How do you repair a broken knee cap?
Wearing a hinged knee brace, cast, or splint:
- Hinged knee brace: The hinged knee brace can be locked in certain positions. Right after surgery, your brace will be locked in a straight position. ...
- Cast: You may need a cast after surgery. When the cast is removed, caregivers may teach you special exercises to help strengthen your leg.
- Splint: You may need a splint after surgery. ...
What are the side-effects of kneecap removal?
Other possible side effects include:
- bruising
- thermal burns
- excess fluid accumulation (seromas)
- irregular pigmentation
- loose skin
- worsened appearance of cellulite
- numbness or pain
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.
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.
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.
Why is physiotherapy important?
Physio exercises help improve the following when you suffered a broken kneecap: It improves motion in your knee.
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 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 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.
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 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.
How to prevent knee fractures?
Kneecap fracture exercises strengthen your leg muscles and improve your range of motion. Choose non-weight-bearing and low-impact exercises to prevent further injury to your knee. Always consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine, and stop if you feel any pain.
What causes a fractured kneecap?
Common causes of kneecap fractures include: Direct Trauma: A fractured kneecap commonly results from a fall directly onto the knee, often during a car accident or while playing sports. A fractured knee caused by direct trauma usually results in serious damage to the overlying skin.
What is the most common form of knee fracture?
Fractured knees often result from trauma. The most common form of knee fracture is a patellar fracture. According to several studies, patellar and fractured tibia knee each account for about 1% of all fractures. A patellar fracture is common in active, older people. If you think you’re suffering from a broken kneecap, ...
How to tell if you have a fractured knee?
The signs of a fractured knee typically occur around the joint, but you may experience fractured knee symptoms in the thigh area, as well. Immediate, intense pain with weight-bearing activities. Bruising and swelling around the front of the knee. Trouble doing a straight-leg raise or extending the leg.
Why do you need a knee brace?
A fractured knee brace is crucial to supporting your injured joint and preventing further damage. ( See Product ) If the fractured knee is not out of place, your doctor may recommend wearing a brace until the bone heals.
How long does it take to return to work after knee surgery?
Using a knee brace is the best way to reduce the impact of this joint weakness on your life. If your job involves mostly sitting, you may be able to return to work a week after your injury. If your job involves climbing or extended walking, on the other hand, you may be able to return to work in about 12 weeks.
What is the cartilage on the patella?
The undersides of the patella and the ends of the femur are covered with a smooth substance known as articular cartilage , which helps the bones glide easily against each other as you move your legs. A fractured kneecap is a crack or break in the kneecap (patella). The injury may be a slight crack in the bone.
Types of Kneecap Fractures
Stable fracture. The fragments remain in contact with each other or are separated by a millimeter or two. In a fracture that allows conservative treatment with immobilization and discharge.
Where do we treat it?
The Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology covers the full spectrum of congenital or acquired conditions of the musculoskeletal system including trauma and its aftermath.
Our team of professionals
We update safety protocols weekly with the latest scientific evidence and the knowledge of the best international centers with which we collaborate.
What to do if you have a torn tendon in your knee?
If you have a severe fracture, or if your tendon is torn, you may need surgery to repair or replace your kneecap.
What happens when you break your kneecap?
Sometimes when a broken kneecap occurs, the patellar or quadriceps tendon can also tear. The patella and quadriceps tendon connects the big muscle in the front of your thigh to your knee joint.
How long after a knee splint can you go back to work?
You may be able to return to work: A week after your injury if your job involves mostly sitting. At least 12 weeks after your splint or cast is removed, if your job involves squatting or climbing. Return to sports activities after your provider says it is OK.
How long should I wear a splint on my leg?
Your provider may ask you not to place any weight on your injured leg for up to 1 week or longer. Please check with your provider to find out how long you need to keep weight off your injured leg.
How long does it take for a bandage to be removed from a knee?
Use soap and water to keep your wound clean when your provider says you can. If you have stitches (sutures), they will be removed at around 2 weeks. Do not take baths, swim, or soak your knee in any way until your provider says it is OK.
How to reduce swelling in knees?
This will help reduce swelling and muscle atrophy. Ice your knee. Make an ice pack by putting ice cubes in a plastic bag and wrapping a cloth around it. For the first day of injury, apply the ice pack every hour for 10 to 15 minutes.
Can you put weight on your leg after a knee injury?
After that, you can begin placing weight on your leg, as long as it is not painful and your provider says it is OK. You will need to use the splint on the knee. You may also need to use crutches or a cane for balance.
Overview
A patella fracture is a break in your kneecap — the small, flat bone that covers and protects your knee joint like a shield. It’s usually caused by direct injury like a fall on your knee, a blow to your knee or a collision, lik with the dashboard in a car accident.
Symptoms and Causes
A patella fracture is usually caused by a direct blow to your kneecap, such as in a fall, from a sports injury or from a car accident. More rarely, it can also be caused by a sudden muscle contraction in your knee.
Diagnosis and Tests
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and what happened at the time of the injury. Then they’ll examine your knee. They might have you try to extend your leg. If you can’t, that will likely necessitate surgical intervention. They may also be able to feel the edges of the fractured bone pieces through your skin.
Management and Treatment
Examination: The treatment for a patella fracture depends on the nature of your break. Your healthcare provider will begin by physically examining your knee and checking for signs of hemarthrosis. They may need to treat the hemarthrosis first by draining some of the blood. Then they will take X-rays to determine the type of fracture you have.
Living With
Make sure to follow through with physical therapy after your fracture has healed, in order to restore your muscle strength and range-of-motion.
Can you walk with a broken kneecap?
The x-ray shows it’s displaced and/or comminute. Also, avoid walking with an open fracture.
How do you know if you have a patella fracture?
The patella – also called “kneecap”- is the bone at the front of the knee. It looks like an inverted triangle.
Treatment for a fractured kneecap
This is the best option if the fracture is non-displaced and you can perform a straight leg raise.
FAQs
This will depend on the severity of the fracture and your pain levels.
Conclusion: Can you still walk with a fractured patella?
Your physician is the best person to answer this question, but in general: