Knee Fracture

What is a knee fracture?

A knee fracture is a break in one of the knee bones.

How does it occur?

Knee fractures can occur in many ways: falls, contact sports and exercise injuries, force from a blow, and other injuries.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of a knee fracture include:

• pain
• tenderness
• swelling
• limited range of motion
• pain made worse by movement
• grating of bone ends
• muscle spasm during slight movement
• physical deformity
• inability to walk.

How is it diagnosed?

Your health care provider will review your injury and symptoms. Because many different knee problems can cause knee pain, your provider will thoroughly examine you to determine the cause of your pain. You may have x-rays and stress films.

How it is treated?

The treatment depends on what bone is broken and what kind of fracture you have. If the bone pieces are lined up well, surgery may not be necessary and your knee may be set in a splint or cast.

If the fracture involves the patella (kneecap), you may have surgery to:

• remove all small fragments
• wire the kneecap fragments together if possible
• remove a shattered patella.

If the fracture does not involve the kneecap, but rather the lower end of the thighbone or the upper end of the big lower leg bone, your health care provider will move the broken bone into the correct place. This is done most easily right after the injury, so prompt medical attention is necessary. You may need surgery, and metal pins, screws, or plates may be used to hold pieces of bone together. This surgery is called internal fixation.

After surgery you may have a cast put around the injured area to immobilize the joint above and below the fracture site.

You will learn how to care for your cast:

• how to elevate it on pillows
• how to bathe with a cast
• how to use crutches or a cane
• how to care for the skin around the cast edges.

Immobilization of a body part can cause joints to stiffen and muscles to weaken. You will learn range-of-motion exercises to keep the uninjured parts healthy. You will also learn isometric exercises to strengthen the fractured part. Isometric exercises avoid movement. You create tension by contracting the muscle, holding the tension, and then releasing it without moving the joint.

How long will the effects last?

Healing times depend on which bone was broken, the type of fracture, the type of treatment, and how well you heal.

How can I take care of myself?

To help take care of yourself, follow the full course of treatment your health care provider prescribes. Also, follow these guidelines:

• Eat a healthy diet.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Keep the leg raised when possible to reduce swelling.

Call your health care provider right away if any of these symptoms appear:

• unusual warmth, redness, or swelling above or below the fracture
• discoloration: your toenails or feet become and stay blue or grey even though you are keeping your leg elevated
• a loss of feeling in the skin below the fracture.

How can I help to prevent a knee fracture?

To help prevent a knee fracture, follow these guidelines:

• Wear proper, correctly fitting shoes when you exercise.
• Gently stretch before and after physical activity like aerobics, running, and sports.
• Work and play safely.