A patellar fracture is a break in the patella, or kneecap, the small bone that sits at the front of your knee. 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.
Kneecap Fracture Symptoms
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.
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 it is a stable fracture, your bone can be expected to heal without surgery.
If the knee cap is hit really hard in this area (and doesn't break …), the tissue called the bursa can bleed and swell and hurt. This area can take a lot longer to heal than just a simple bruise, but generally it should go back to normal.
Falling hard on the knee can cause a range of injuries. They include ligament sprains or tears, meniscus tears, or even fractures. Depending on the severity of the injury, it may require rest, physical therapy, or even surgery.
Severe pain in and around the kneecap. Swelling. Pain when moving the knee in both directions. Difficulty extending the leg or doing a straight-leg raise.
Make an appointment with your doctor if your knee pain was caused by a particularly forceful impact or if it's accompanied by: Significant swelling. Redness. Tenderness and warmth around the joint.
Immobilization. Any of the acute patellar injuries may need to be immobilized with a cast, splint, or brace to allow healing of the bone, tendon, or other soft tissues. Your healthcare provider will recommend which of these is appropriate, if any.
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.
Pain: Patella fractures are generally quite uncomfortable. Keeping the knee straight can help significantly with discomfort, while bending the joint is typically very painful. Swelling: Swelling and bruising around the front of the knee is typical of a patella fracture.
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.
If you can walk with soreness, it is unlikely that it is broken. Is there significant swelling? 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.
Diagnosing a knee injury or problem includes a medical examination and usually the use of a diagnostic procedure(s) such as an x-ray, MRI, CT scan or arthroscopy. Both non-operative and surgical treatment options are available to treat knee pain and problems depending on the type and severity of the condition.
Red flags in physical examination
For those who are symptomatic can present with discoloration, pain, warmth, swelling, and tenderness of the affected extremity (11).
Knee sprains: knee ligament injuries, or sprains, can occur with twisting injuries or when a force is applied to only one side of the knee. Most often, the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) is the concern. Meniscus tears: this can occur during a sudden twist of the knee while it is bearing weight.
According to Dr. Allen, swelling that comes on suddenly is usually caused by blood trapped in the joint; it typically occurs within three to four hours of the injury. If the injury is a torn ACL, a small blood vessel is also torn—and when that happens, the swelling can also be significant.
The amount of knee swelling may vary day to day and it may feel like it comes and goes as the injury is healing. It usually takes 6-12 weeks for soft tissues (i.e. muscles & ligaments) to heal, but cartilage injuries can take longer, as the cartilage has a very poor blood supply.
Ice and elevation.
To control pain and swelling, apply ice to your knee for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 4 hours. When you ice your knee, be sure to raise your knee higher than the level of your heart. Place pillows under your knee for comfort.
It is important to rest and elevate the leg. Avoid walking on the injured leg as far as possible. You may have been given crutches, If so, use them to cut down the weight through the injured leg.