Symptoms of a broken kneecap (fracture) are swelling and pain, especially when moving the knee back and forth. Your child may not need surgery if the fracture has not moved the kneecap out of position. But sometimes surgery is needed to move the pieces of the kneecap back where they belong and to repair damage.
Swelling, which can be severe, even with relatively minor kneecap fractures. Inability to bend or straighten the knee or to hold the leg out straight. Inability to bear weight, stand or walk. Deformed appearance of the knee, especially with severe fractures.
Your child has a break (fracture) in the kneecap (patella). A broken kneecap often causes pain, swelling, and bruising. To confirm a break, X-rays or other imaging tests may be done. A splint or cast may then be put on the leg to hold the bone in place while it heals.
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.
Fracture of the patella or the femur occurred at impact loads of approximately 8.5 kN. The average P-F pressure was approximately 25 MPa for 8 kN of impact load on the 90 degrees flexed joint. The P-F contact area varied with the level of contact load and degree of joint flexion.
If the injured area experiences immediate and severe swelling, that could be a sign of a broken bone or fracture. However, if the swelling is mild and develops gradually, it is likely a sprain or strain.
Wires, pins, screws, or bands may be used to hold the pieces in place. Surgery may also be used to remove part or all of your child's kneecap. Physical therapy may be recommended. A physical therapist teaches your child exercises to help improve movement and strength, and to decrease pain.
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. For these more complicated fractures, surgery is needed to repair the kneecap.
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. Our doctors can provide you with crutches or a wheelchair.
Some of the most common injuries to children and teens that cause knee pain include fractures, dislocations, and sprains and tears of soft tissues like ligaments and tendons. In many cases, injuries involve more than one structure in the knee.
fractures: when a bone breaks. dislocation of the patella (kneecap): when the kneecap slides out of place. Osgood-Schlatter disease: inflammation of the tendon that attaches the kneecap to the shinbone. Osteochondritis dissecans: when a small piece of bone in the knee loses blood supply and breaks off.
Causes of anterior knee pain in children and teens
Abnormal position of the kneecap in its groove. Muscle tightness or weakness in the front and back of the thigh. Overuse of the leg from repetitive impact activity — such as jumping, running, twisting or participating in competitive sports.
Pain in the lower part of the knee is most likely a temporary ligament stress of the top of the shinbone. It can be from overuse, imbalance in muscle strength, or a growth related disease called Osgood Schlatter disease.
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.
It can be more difficult to identify a fracture in infants or toddlers. They may cry and not use the affected area, but there may be no obvious injury. If you think your child has a fracture, they may have the following symptoms: pain or tenderness at the injury site.
Whether or not you have surgery, you probably will wear a cast or brace (immobilizer) on your leg for several weeks while the kneecap heals. Wear and take care of the cast or immobilizer exactly as your doctor advises. You may need help with daily tasks.
What Happens If You Leave a Broken Kneecap Untreated? If a bone fracture is left untreated, it can result in either a nonunion, meaning, the bone does not heal complete and it remains broken, or a malunion, meaning the bone heals incorrectly. Both will allow pain, swelling, and function to worsen over time.
There is knee pain without an injury; it hurts during or after activity. The knee is “locking,” or getting stuck, and is not able to move. The knee does not have good strength. The knee is swelling–with or without a traumatic (sudden) injury.
Usually, weight-bearing is allowed, and you can stand on the leg with the fractured patella and even walk. However, you will typically need two crutches to avoid putting all your body weight on the fractured leg. Over time, you will rely less and less on the crutches until you no longer need them.
Sometimes you may feel the chips on the surface of your knee. Your knee is swollen and painful. You may not be able to fully bend or straighten your knee.
Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation
Resting the affected ligaments, tendons, and muscles, gives the knee time to heal. Your doctor may provide a cane or crutches to help you keep weight off the affected knee for about a week. After the swelling starts to subside, most people can walk while wearing a knee brace.
The affected knee will buckle and be unable to support your weight, and you may have significant swelling, pain and stiffness. The kneecap may pop itself back in, or you may need help from someone else to get it back in place. Even if the kneecap shifts back into place on its own, pain and swelling can remain.