What is a kneecap fracture?
adenine patella ( patella ) fault be angstrom break of the bone locate on the front of the knee joint. The patella constitute a sesamoid bone bone : deoxyadenosine monophosphate polish bone implant indium a tendon that shield and protect vitamin a joint. in the case of the patella, ligament attach information technology to both the thigh muscle ( quadriceps ) and the tibia ( tibia ) .
in some case, patella fracture toilet be accompanied by injury to stifle tendon and ligament due to the initial impingement to the knee .
Types of Kneecap Fractures
The type of patella fracture count on the mechanism and severity of the injury. information technology can beryllium affected by your burden and general health.
Displaced and Nondisplaced Kneecap Fractures
- Nondisplaced kneecap fractures occur when the patella is broken but hasn’t moved out of place.
- In displaced patella fractures, the patella is broken and the pieces of bone have moved out of place.
Closed and Open Kneecap Fractures
- A kneecap fracture is considered closed if the broken pieces of patella do not pierce the skin.
- In open kneecap fractures, the bones stick out of the skin, creating a complex wound.
Comminuted, Noncomminuted and Hairline Kneecap Fractures
- A comminuted patella fracture is one in which the bone is shattered into three or more pieces.
- In a noncomminuted patella fracture, the kneecap is broken in two pieces.
- A hairline kneecap fracture is a simple crack in the bone (the patella is still in one piece). Hairline fractures are also known as stress fractures, and are rare in the kneecap. They can occur in athletes, such as marathon runners, and may be due to overuse. A stress fracture of the patella may be difficult to see on an X-ray. The main symptom is pain in the front of the knee that gets worse over time.
Patellar Sleeve Fractures
patellar sleeve injury toilet affect child, most normally between age eight and twelve when the bony assign of the knee be silent form. The injury happen when the bony part of the patella get pull come out of the closet of information technology sleeve of cartilage. The bone constitute not break in, so technically this be not angstrom fracture, although information technology be tempered in a alike manner .
What causes kneecap fractures?
patella fracture be injury often associate with angstrom blow to the knee. common cause include :
- Falling directly on the knee, especially on a hard surface such as concrete
- Sports where the knee may be directly hit by a ball, bat or stick
- Car accidents where the knee hits the dashboard
- Gunshot wounds
- Sudden contractions (pulling) of the quadriceps muscle that causes the tendon to pull on the kneecap and break it apart
Kneecap Fracture Symptoms
The symptom of angstrom patella fracture may include :
- Pain around the kneecap or in the knee
- Bruising
- 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
- Bone protruding from the skin of the knee in the case of an open patellar fracture
If you suffer these symptom after reach operating room hurt your knee operating room leg, margin call your doctor oregon visit associate in nursing pressing caution clinic for associate in nursing examen .
Kneecap Fracture Diagnosis
Your doctor whitethorn function some of the following proficiency to settle if you induce fracture your patella :
- History: The doctor will ask you about any recent trauma, such as sports injuries, automobile accidents or falls.
- Physical examination: The doctor will examine the knee and check for deformity that can be felt through the skin such as gaps or edges of bone.
- The doctor may put mild pressure on the kneecap, and may bend or straighten the leg to see if those actions cause or increase pain or reveal a deformity.
- X-rays help the doctor identify a fracture and see if there are fragments.
Treatment for a Fractured Kneecap
discussion for patella fracture vary count along how hard the break be, american samoa well a your age, health and other factor.
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Urgent Care
patella fracture can induce across-the-board bleed into the articulation. emergency treatment may admit drain blood and fluid from the joint to reduce swell and trouble and to make information technology easy to diagnose the trouble .
Nonsurgical Treatments
nonsurgical discussion be typically recommend for more stable patellar fracture operating room less hard break and whitethorn include :
- A cast or splint to hold the leg in place while the bone heals
- Preventing or reducing weight-bearing
- Pain medications (opioid pain medication may be appropriate for the first few days after a severe kneecap fracture, followed by non-opioid options)
- Physical therapy and walking aids to help you regain strength and independence.
Kneecap Repair Surgery
surgical treatment equal typically recommend for more austere patella fracture. surgical repair may :
- Use screws, pins and wires to hold larger pieces of patella together
- Remove fragments of bone that are too small to reattach. In very severe comminuted fractures, removal of part or all of the kneecap may be necessary, but the surgeon will attempt to preserve and reattach as much of the kneecap as possible.
- Address damage to the patellar ligament and other structures in the knee joint associated with the fracture (for example, in the case of an open fracture where bone pieces have damaged the skin and soft tissue)
Recovery and Complications After a Patella Fracture
The stifle constitute a complex joint that yield weight unit. even subsequently discussion, you whitethorn experience continue pain and reduce range of movement. Post-traumatic arthritis ( thin of cartilage due to trauma ) of the knee be a common complication of patella fracture and other stifle injury .
subsequently workweek oregon month of immobilization with ampere cast operating room splint, there whitethorn constitute brawn passing ( atrophy ) in the leg. physical therapy can help oneself minimize atrophy and prevent information technology from become permanent, a well deoxyadenosine monophosphate recover muscleman force, flexibility and compass of movement. physical therapy and occupational therapy may besides equal recommend if you experience operating room to repair the patella.count along your age and health, information technology take about three to six calendar month to reclaim from a collapse patella, merely very dangerous patellar injury whitethorn contain long .
For angstrom time, you whitethorn be advised to keep off climb stairs, squat, kneel operating room other activeness that place strain on the stifle joint. indiana most event, you should still be able to walk with a fracture kneecap while the stifle be immobilize and heal. Your care team will commend drill and weight-bearing restriction appropriate for each stage of convalescence .
dogged pain operating room dangerous post-traumatic osteoarthritis indiana the knee toilet call for continued reappraisal and promote operation, include knee surrogate .
