A hard fall on the knee can cause the kneecap to break. This is very painful and not without consequences. One must be treated immediately (surgically) and ends up in a cast for a while. After the plaster treatment, rehabilitation starts quickly to make the knee flexible again. Read more about the symptoms, cause, diagnosis and treatment of a broken kneecap here.

A broken kneecap

The kneecap – also called the patella – is a bone located at the front of the knee. It is a hard, thick bone that is round in shape and tapers towards the lower leg. Like almost any other bone, the kneecap can also break. A kneecap fracture can have several causes :

• A hard fall on the knee.
• A blow to the kneecap with a hard object.

A fracture of the kneecap can be very annoying. Especially because its treatment can be very complicated and rehabilitation is sometimes difficult. The injury may not heal well and it may take a long time before you can walk properly again.

Symptoms

A broken kneecap is usually accompanied by severe pain. The pain can be so severe that one may lose consciousness. The first thing to give a patient with a broken kneecap is a painkiller. The patient also finds it almost impossible to stand on his leg. The fact that touching the kneecap is very painful is the clearest indication of a broken kneecap.Because the kneecap is relatively close to the surface, an open wound where the kneecap is exposed is also possible. Normally this is not more painful – because the main pain comes from the patellar fracture itself – but it can be more annoying because infections can occur. It is important to close an open wound immediately.

Diagnosis

Partly due to the clear symptoms of this condition, a fracture of the kneecap is easy to recognize. Although the diagnosis of a patellar fracture is easy to make, additional testing is usually required to determine the severity of the fracture. Muscles and tendons around the knee can also be affected. In addition, the severity of the fracture also determines the type of treatment.

Therapy

If the kneecap fracture is a so-called clean fracture, surgical intervention is not necessary. One speaks of a nice fracture if the fracture heals sufficiently with only a plaster treatment. A CT scan can be used to determine to what extent the fracture can heal on its own or not. If surgical intervention is required, there is a chance that metal will be required to straighten the fracture. These tools hold the different parts of the bone together. You will also receive a plaster treatment. The knee will then not be bendable for quite some time, depending on the fracture, this will take several weeks to months.Only during rehabilitation can the effectiveness of the treatment be clearly seen. Can I walk properly again? In the beginning, walking will always be difficult because the knee joint is very stiff. After approximately 2-3 weeks of rehabilitation, most patients can walk well again, although occasionally with minor pain. However, it may also happen that the patient continues to have pain or has difficulty walking, in which case additional physiotherapy and perhaps a new photo session is required.