Once you have been diagnosed and treated for a patella fracture, you’ll be allowed to bear weight in a knee immobilizer, hinged knee brace or cast locked in full extension. Your orthopaedic surgeon will let you know how much you can bend your knee. At first, you won’t be allowed to flex your knee, but flexion will be allowed slowly, over time.
Can a patella fracture be caused by a knee injury?
In some cases, kneecap fractures can be accompanied by injuries to knee tendons and ligaments due to the initial impact to the knee. The type of patella fracture depends on the mechanism and severity of the injury. It can be affected by your weight and general health.
Should I use crutches or a wheelchair after a patella fracture?
Regardless of the type of patella fracture, doctors recommend using crutches or a wheelchair during the first week or two after an injury. This allows the bones to heal without having to bear weight, which may make an injury worse.
What are the symptoms of a fractured patella?
The patella can also be fractured indirectly. For example, a sudden contraction of the quadriceps muscle in the knee can pull apart the patella. Symptoms The most common symptoms of a patellar fracture are pain and swelling in the front of the knee. Other symptoms may include: Bruising
What are the treatments for a fractured patella?
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen, can help manage pain and inflammation flare-ups. Patella fractures are not common, but traumatic injuries do happen. If you’ve fractured your patella, you may have a long recovery ahead. Pain is usually moderate and manageable with over-the-counter medications.
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.
Why is my knee stiff after patellar fracture?
Because treatment for a patellar fracture can sometimes require keeping your leg immobilized in a cast for a long period of time, your knee may become stiff and your thigh muscles may become weak.
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
What does a patellar fracture show on an x-ray?
This x-ray of a patellar fracture shows significant displacement between the broken pieces of bone.
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 does a knee exam show?
During the exam, your doctor will check for hemarthrosis. 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.
Why do doctors order x-rays?
Your doctor will order x-rays from a number of different angles to look for a fracture and to view the alignment of the bones.
What causes kneecap fractures?
Patella fractures are injuries often associated with a blow to the knee. Common causes include:
What is nondisplaced kneecap?
Nondisplaced kneecap fractures occur when the patella is broken but hasn’t moved out of place.
How many pieces does a patella fracture have?
In a noncomminuted patella fracture, the kneecap is broken in two pieces.
What is the joint that bears weight?
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 causes a fracture in the patella?
Fractures of the patella are most often caused by a direct blow to the knee, such as a fall or motor vehicle accident.
What muscle is responsible for pulling the kneecap?
Sudden contractions (pulling) of the quadriceps muscle that causes the tendon to pull on the kneecap and break it apart
When does a patellar sleeve injury occur?
Patellar sleeve injuries can affect children, most commonly between ages 8 and 12 when the bony portion of the knee is still forming. The injury happens when the bony part of the patella gets pulled out of its sleeve of cartilage. The bone is not broken, so technically this is not a fracture, although it is treated in a similar manner.
Can you walk with a broken kneecap?
The x-ray shows it’s displaced and/or comminute. Also, avoid walking with an open fracture.
What happens when you fall on your feet with your knees straight?
For example, when you fall on your feet with your knees straight, the impact may force your knee joint to bend. This sudden knee flexion will force a strong stretch on the quadriceps tendon. This, in turn, can pull the patella to the point of breaking. ( 2)
How common is patella fracture?
Patella fractures account for 1% of all fractures. They occur mostly in people between 20-50 years old and are more common in men. ( 1, 2)
What is the patella of the knee called?
The patella – also called “kneecap”- is the bone at the front of the knee. It looks like an inverted triangle.
What is the thickest cartilage in the knee?
Plus, our kneecap has a thick cartilage on its posterior surface. It’s the thickest cartilage we have in our bodies. And, it helps make the kneecap gliding as smooth as possible. ( 1)
What does the front of the knee look like?
The front of the knee may look bruised and swollen.
What is a comminute fracture?
If there are 3 or more shattered parts, we call it a “comminute fracture.” More than 50% of these are non-displaced. But, there’s usually significant damage to the surrounding tissues. ( 3)
What muscle is the kneecap?
The kneecap is embedded in the quadriceps muscle. The quadriceps muscle group is made up of four muscles that meet to form a common tendon that houses the kneecap and attaches to the tibia, the larger of the two shin bones.
What is the largest sesamoid bone in the body?
The kneecap covers and protects the front of the knee joint and is the largest sesamoid bone in the body. A sesamoid is a bone is embedded within a tendon, usually across a joint and acts to increase the mechanical effectiveness of a muscle.
Which muscle is the extensor of the knee?
The quadriceps muscle is an extensor of the knee, an action accomplished with the help of the patella. The rectus femoris, the lone quadriceps muscle that attaches to the pelvis, is also a flexor of the hip.
Is the patella bone weight bearing?
The patella bone, commonly called the kneecap, is not meant to be a weight bearing bone so I usually tell my students that they can put a blanket under their knees for poses where the knees are on the ground. Some choose not to and I can relate as I used to be of a similar mindset.
