What is a patella fracture?

A patella fracture could be a break in your kneecap — the little, cut of beef that covers and protects your knee sort of a protect. It’s sometimes caused by direct injury sort of a fall on your knee, a blow to your knee or a collision, lik with the dashboard in a very automobile accident. A patella fracture could be a serious injury, which might impact your ability to bend or straighten your knee. Some patella fractures area unit straightforward, however this little bone is additionally capable of breaking into several items.

A kneecap (patella) fracture could be a break of the bone settled on the front of the knee. The patella could be a sesamoid bone: a os embedded in a very connective tissue that shields and protects a joint. within the case of the patella, ligaments attach it to each the thigh muscles (quadriceps) and therefore the tibia (tibia).

What happens once the knee fractures or breaks?

A patella fracture is typically caused by an instantaneous impact to your knee. reckoning on the force applied, it’s going to produce a hairline crack, forced an entry 2 items or it’s going to forced an entry several little items. Patella fractures will cause the striated muscle mechanism of your knee to not operate properly. The extensor and sesamoid bone connective tissue attach to your patella, that ordinarily permits you to flex and extend your knee. The patella is roofed with animal tissue, that provides a cushion for your knee. The animal tissue are often dislocated with this kind of fracture, which might result in post-traumatic inflammatory disease.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of a sesamoid bone fracture area unit pain and swelling within the front of the knee. alternative symptoms might include:

Bruising

Inability to straighten the knee or keep it extended in a very straight leg raise

Inability to run

Outcome

How long it takes to recover when a sesamoid bone fracture can rely upon variety of things, including:

• The severity of your injury
• Whether your treatment was surgical or nonsurgical
• The time required for rehabilitation

Most patients are ready to come back to their traditional activities among three to six months. For patients with severe fractures, the come back to activity might take longer.

Your doctor might counsel some fashion changes to assist defend your knee and stop future issues. this might embody avoiding activities that involve repetitive deep knee bending or squatting. rising stairs or ladders ought to be avoided, as well.

Causes of a knee fracture
Knee fractures (patellar fractures) are typically caused by direct falls to the knee or sharp blows to the knee. Car accidents are another common cause of knee fractures.

In rare cases, the knee can be fractured due to a sudden contraction of a quadricep where the muscles can pull from the patella.

Risk factors for a knee fracture
Osteoarthritis — patients with osteoarthritis are at a higher risk for knee fractures.
Age — as the bones age, they become more brittle and are more susceptible to breaking.
Sports — participating in high-impact sports such as football, basketball and downhill skiing.
Gender — females are more likely to suffer from a knee fracture.
Smoking and drinking alcohol — smoking and drinking alcohol impact hormones and bone structure, increasing risk of knee fractures.
Previous knee injury — a previous injury or knee fracture doubles the risk of suffering another injury.

Diagnosis of a knee fracture
Knee fractures are diagnosed in a physical exam and using an x-ray. In a more severe fracture, a CT scan or MRI may be able to give more insight into the extent of the injury. If you think you have fractured your knee, please visit Mercy Health ER right away.

Recovery from a knee fracture
Recovering from knee fractures is a slow process. During recovery, the knee will have to stay immobilized while in a brace. You will work with your orthopedic physician to determine when you can gradually put weight on the leg or knee. With treatment, a knee fracture will take six to eight weeks to heal.