What is a knee fracture?
A knee fracture is a break in one or more of the 4 bones that make
up the knee: the thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), fibula, and
kneecap (patella).
How does it occur?
Knee fractures can occur in many ways: falls, contact sports and
exercise injuries, getting hit, 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
- misshapen leg
- inability to walk.
How is it diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will ask about your injury and symptoms.
Because many different knee problems can cause knee pain, your
provider will examine you thoroughly to determine the cause of
your pain. You will 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 line up well, you may not
need surgery 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 healthcare 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 to
repair the broken leg bone. 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 it and prevent any movement of 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. Your
muscles may get weak. You will learn range-of-motion exercises to
keep the uninjured parts healthy. You will also learn isometric
exercises to strengthen your injured leg. Isometric exercises
avoid movement: When you do these exercises, you create tension by
contracting the muscle, holding the tension, and then releasing it
without moving the joint.
You may need to meet with a physical therapist to help you get
back full range of motion of your injured knee.
How long will the effects last?
Healing times depend on which bone was broken, the type of
fracture, the 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 healthcare 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 healthcare 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?
Injuries cannot always be prevented, but you may be able to help
prevent a knee fracture by following these guidelines:
- Wear proper, correctly fitting shoes when you exercise.
- Gently stretch and warm up before and after physical activity
like aerobics, running, and sports.
- Work and play safely.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
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