Learn the Scary Facts About Kneecap Fractures
A patella fracture is an injury to the kneecap, which is one of three bones that make up the knee joint, and can result in severe pain and difficulty walking. The most common test to diagnose this injury is the straight leg raise test.
Patella fractures should be treated in the emergency room because a disruption of the quadriceps, patella, or patellar tendon can prevent you from performing a straight leg raise. Non-operative treatment may be possible for these types of fractures. The most common complication of patella fracture surgery is knee stiffness.
Can you walk with a broken knee cap?
A patellar fracture is a serious injury that can make it difficult or impossible to straighten your knee or walk. While some patellar fractures can be treated with a cast or splint until the bone heals, the pieces of bone in most patellar fractures move out of place when the injury occurs.
Can you still walk on a fractured patella?
Patients can walk while the bone heals in most cases as long as the brace keeps the knee straight while ambulating; most patients use crutches, a walker, or a cane for stability during the healing process.
What happens if you leave a broken knee untreated?
When a bone fracture is left untreated, it can either result in a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone does not heal at all, meaning it will remain broken, causing swelling, tenderness, and pain to worsen over time.
Can you chip your knee cap?
It can be fractured. The patella, despite its small size, can be fractured during a knee injury. This can be a small hairline fracture or a larger trauma that breaks the patella into multiple pieces, which can cause additional pain or immobility.
What happens when you hit your knee cap really hard?
The tissue called the bursa can bleed, swell, and hurt if the knee cap is hit really hard in this area (and it doesn’t break…); this area can take a lot longer to heal than a simple bruise, but it should go back to normal in most cases.
Can you drive with a broken knee cap?
As your kneecap heals and your leg strengthens, you should be able to resume functional activities like stair climbing, single leg support, swimming, and driving. As your kneecap heals and your leg strengthens, you should be able to begin more vigorous activities.
Will a knee injury heal on its own?
A mild to moderate knee ligament injury may heal on its own over time, but you can help it along by: Resting the knee.
How do I know if my knee injury is serious?
If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor right away:
- Have a fever, in addition to redness, pain, and swelling in your knee
- Have marked knee swelling.
- Are unable to fully extend or flex your knee.
- See an obvious deformity in your leg or knee.
- Have a fever, in addition to redness, pain, and swelling in your knee.
How do you know if you broke or bruised your knee?
You may experience any of the following symptoms if you have a bone contusion in your knee: pain in your knee when extending your leg, swelling, stiffness, or tenderness, and pain that is more severe than a normal bruise and lasts longer.
What should you do if you fall on your knee cap?
Rest and, if necessary, a brace to stabilize the joint are usually used to treat a knee injury caused by a fall. In most cases, anti-inflammatory pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) may be helpful. Minor knee injuries can often be treated at home.
When do you break your kneecap?
Swelling and pain, especially when moving the knee back and forth, are symptoms of a broken kneecap ( fracture ). You may not need surgery if the fracture has not moved your kneecap out of position, but surgery is sometimes required to move the pieces of the kneecap back into place and repair damage.