broken patella recovery- no surgery

! am 53 and recently had an arthroscopic op on my Right knee after damaging it lifting and then running within a week. I have had a bad knee for years after playing football for 25 years, it would just locked up and gave me a bit of pain now and then. While they were operating they found I had at sometime broken my knee cap right through laterally it had healed but there was a lot of damage behind the kneecap. I do remember crashing a dirt bike 20+ years ago and landing on my knee on a large rock and it was bloody sore for long time but it came good.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

After the op they tell me I can’t do any squats, lunges etc, also I will have trouble walking up and down hills. They had to remove most of the cartilage behind the knee.

Can anyone tell me is there any exercises I can do to strengthen my knee cap and get back training.

Thanks in advance.

ginaode wrote:

I am recovering from a broken kneecap I broke 12/4 broke in 3 pieces on 12/16 they wiired and pinned it still recovering the hardest is when its held straight for so long getting to bend is so hard your quad muscle wont let it go itrs coming around slowly my was bend for about 8 weeks and then I went to physical therapy 3x week still doing that Im afraid with it not being repaired it will take longer for you to heal so then it will be longer to bend are they going to send you to therapy when its healed they told me it will be around a year before I am totally back to normal ***this post is edited by moderator *** ***
private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use

I fell and broke my kneecap in 3 pieces at the end of January.  No surgery, they were together.  It's almost the end of May and I'm still in a brace.  I started with a hard cast for 6 weeks, it didn't heal enough so he put me in a brace.  5 weeks later it didn't heal enough so he put me back in the brace for 4 weeks, it didn't heal enough, now it's considered a fracture and back in the brace for 6 weeks.  The ortho doc doesn't have time to talk so when he put me in the brace, the first time, he told me to try to bend it and lift it straight out, no instruction about walking with it locked!!  I did the bending and lifting and after about 2 weeks I could bend in pretty good and no problem lifting it straight out.  So......I took the brace off thinking I was doing so well and wanted to start strengthening the leg.  Wrong!! Apparently, I was not suppose to be bending it AND putting weight on it at the same time, so it continued to pull the bone apart. It's still healing very, very, slowly, but I keep the brace on, lock it when I walk and bend it when I sit.  Only do straight out leg raises.  That's it.  Poor leg.

I just broke my knee cap in may and not to make u feel worse i had surgery in may and im just starting rehab with rehab takes at least 12 weeks so dude i feel your pain hang in their very long process

bluedog wrote:

Guest wrote:

i broke my knee laterally last week. The ER doc originally said I would need surgery. However the next day the orthopedic surgeon said because the bones had not moved apart, no surgery was needed. he put me in a post-operative leg brace and set it for about 15 degrees of movement. I'm now going in weekly for x-rays to make sure the bones have not moved, and he usually expands my range of motion by 5 degrees or so. He said I should be walking on it in 2-3 weeks, and the brace will be off in 6-8 weeks. Also, I know he is an extremely competent doctor, he fixed my collar-bone last year, and my father's knee 2 years prior. Surprisingly, I've had almost no knee pain, the worst part has been MASSIVE swelling and muscle aches.

I'm glad to hear that you've had no pain because I think that would make things harder for you. Keep us updated on how you're doing, okay?

I had the same type injury I have the brace off now and am having difficulty keeping it straight and bending when I walk. PT states I was in the brace to long and the muscles around the knee cap have tightened up.

I broke my kneecap (in half!) July 7, had surgery July 13 and I have 90% bend with my immobilzer six weeks later and am doing so well I don't think physical therapy will be necessary (per surgeon). I walk my dog (always with immobilzer on outside), and climb steps up and down (down being more difficult) slowly and carefully. My recovery has been remarkable and I am so blessed. I am an in sulin-dependent diabetic and EVERYONE thought I would have a LONG, PAINFUL recovery with complications. Not to be.

I can relate to your injury. I was out of state on vacation and slipped on wet pavement and broke patella. The Dr. In ER said I shattered it and would need surgery. Next day I saw an orthopedic surgeon in that state. He told me that I had 4 complete breaks but they were not displaced he recommended letting them heal without surgery. I reported to the orthopedic surgeon in my home town a week later and he took his own xrays and said the same thing. It has been a month now and I have a brace that goes from my crotch to my ankle. I can only put limited weight on leg. I have a lot of swelling and pain. I am on 2 pain meds. And ice and elevation. I see Dr. Weekly and he takes xrays and just says be patient it will heal. I don't see any difference. I see HUGE gapes between bones that are broke and yet as he says they are perfectly lined up but so so far apart. Has anyone had a similar situation? Dr. Says I am looking at 12 weeks before I can start bending my knee then it will be months of therapy.....

I hope I have the same outcome. I have 4 breaks but not displaced. I have been in brace for a month. Lots of swelling and pain. Dr. Takes weekly xrays and said about 12 weeks.

I broke my knee in 3 pieces.my luck they where separated bad.My knee looked like its had a pot hole in the middle.They wired the big pieces back together and had too cut tenden off the bottom and got ridw of the 3 piece which was at bottom.I was on cruthes for a month and couldnt bend.I got rid of the cruthes. Still in leg mobilizer..its just going too take time.They sayh atleast 4s month.Its sucks.They say it will bed just like normal after its heals

I broke my knee cap in three pieces on Dec 4 had surgery on Dec l6 couldnt get into surgeon right away they wired and pinned could move it till mar started therapy from mar till jul they took pins out jul 13 been very slow recovery we had a disney trip planned last may had to cancel ours I am at about 100 degrees they say it will take me a year to recover but I am 57 yrs old good luck to you.

No pins..no tears.just the tenden they had too cut and reattach. We have a vacation planned for the weekend of columbus day coming up.just hope with my young age 31 its works too my advantage.ill find out tommorrow

Glad to hear you didn't have to have surgery. I didn't have surgery either. I have 5 breaks on my patella however Dr. Says that cartilage is still attached and not displaced so we will just keep a brace on for about 8<12 weeks. I am on week 5. I have a horrible amount of pain especially at night. The swelling is crazy.. we are going to do a MRI tonight to see if anything g else is going on . Might have to drain "fluid"? Or might have a tear? Otherwise might start adding more range of motion right now I am just straight and on crutches in a brace from my thigh to ankle. How was your pain and swelling? I can't help but think we should have done MRI weeks ago..

luquie wrote:

ginaode wrote:

Hello. A week and a half ago I fell directly on my left knee cap. The doctor said I broke it in 5 places, one is directly lateral. None of the breaks are displaced so he said it will heal on it's own without surgery.

He put me in a weight bearing knee brace that can be adjusted for bending range of motion. It is bent at 15 degrees right now. I definately am unable to bend and lift it at the same time. I can bend it a little without engaging the muscles, and when my leg is completely straight it doesn't hurt to have weight on it.

Does this sound right to you? I just like to get more than 1 opinion.

I don't know how much is too much for my ROM. I don't want my recovery to end up being longer than expected.

Thanks!

I am recovering from a broken kneecap I broke 12/4 broke in 3 pieces on 12/16 they wiired and pinned it still recovering the hardest is when its held straight for so long getting to bend is so hard your quad muscle wont let it go itrs coming around slowly my was bend for about 8 weeks and then I went to physical therapy 3x week still doing that Im afraid with it not being repaired it will take longer for you to heal so then it will be longer to bend are they going to send you to therapy when its healed they told me it will be around a year before I am totally back to normal ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use

Dear, I fell & broke my patella in 3 pieces on 21st august 2012. Knee swollen, so cast had to wait a couple of days. Then the cast plaster was put on 23rd aug, from high thigh to ankle, remained thus for 4 weeks. On 23rd sept, cast was removed and my knee joint was as stiff as a log. RIGHT FROM 23RD AUG, THE MAIN EXERCISE MY DOC HAD ADVISED ME WAS TO TOUCH THE BACK OF THE KNEE TO THE BED AND HOLD IT TIGHT FOR 5 SECONDS, TO DO THIS 1000 TIMES A DAY!!! When the cast was removed, he said to sit up on bed and support the bad leg's ankle with the ankle of the good leg, and try to bring it down. Ice on knee is also advised. Recall after 10 days. By this time i managed 80* bending , sitting on high bed, WITH SUPPORT of my other leg. Now he said to support the leg, at nearly straight, and then lift the leg to straight position on its own. Next recall after 15 days, by which , he says i should be able to move my leg fr straight to 90* when sitting on bed , without support. ANd all this while, i got to keep doing that 'touch the knee to bed... 5 secs' 1000 times a day. My doc is confident, so am keeping positive in thought, that yes, i will recover completely, SOON. within a month now. I do not need a PT, i do this thrice a day, and God willing , should dance at a family function in mid november this yr.

i had the same....you cannot do it.....you need a complete rest for a least 4 weeks to heal the patella fracture......

I am on week 7 and I am just now starting to see my Patella. Swelling has been horrible. I broke my patella in 5 places however none displaced therefore a brace with no motion. I am actually starting to get around pretty good now. My only pain is at night.