Knee Bone or Joint Injury
Best Exercises for Fractured Patella
Read More >
A patella fracture is a common injury following trauma to the front of the knee. There is a nearly even distribution of incidence between men and women, with 56% of cases in women and 44% in men (Larsen et al, 2016). Most cases are related to a fall directly on the knee cap or a road traffic incident if the knee hits the dashboard. If the fracture is simple, the bone remains united and the individual is in good health, it may be possible to treat the fracture conservatively without surgery. In these cases, or following surgery if necessary, the knee will need to be completely immobilised to aid healing. Therefore a brace and crutches will be necessary for a period of time. Often recovery can be 6-8 weeks, but it is not uncommon to take longer if the fracture is complex or if the individual is in poor health.
James McCormack is a Physical Therapist who specialises in knee, foot & ankle injuries. www.james-mccormack.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The money earned from this helps us to create free educational content.
Knee Immobilizer for Fractured Patella
This brace is a full-length complete knee immobilizer. The long length of the knee brace is important to help to keep the knee still. Shorter braces, while more comfortable and less cumbersome, will still allow some movement and so are not recommended.
This brace is recommended to be worn with an undersleeve for better comfort and to prevent any rubbing and irritation of the skin.
Orthomen Functional Knee Brace for Fractured Patella
This knee brace has a hinged design which can be set to full extension for the period needed of complete immobilization. It’s is then possible to increase the range of movement incrementally once the initial phase has been completed and there has been satisfactory healing.
The open design can be more comfortable, especially in warmer temperatures. It is recommended to be worn with an undersleeve for comfort.
Knee Brace Under-sleeve
This is a cotton under-sleeve that can make these long braces more comfortable by preventing rubbing and irritation of the skin. We recommend using a sleeve like this under a brace.
Elbow Crutches
With the immobilization of the knee it will be necessary to use crutches, this will also ensure non-weight bearing to aid healing.
Physiotherapy with James McCormack
This is not medical advice. We recommend a consultation with a medical professional such as James McCormack. He offers Online Physiotherapy Appointments for £45.