The knee is made up of three bones: the femur, tibia and patella, so any one of them is susceptible to fracture. Knee fracture occurs when there is a high energy trauma to the knee.
Any physical activity that involves the possibility of a direct high intensity contusion on the knee can cause a fracture. These can be outdoor physical activities such as climbing, canyoning or skydiving; and contact sports such as soccer, rugby or basketball. A car or motorcycle accident can also cause a knee fracture.
Knee fracture: treatment
Knee fractures involving the joint surfaces are more serious than fractures that do not involve the joint.
If the fracture affects the joint itself, surgical treatment is necessary in most cases in order to achieve maximum joint congruence and thus avoid further degeneration of the joint.
What care should be taken after a knee fracture?
Depending on the type of knee fracture, after the operation, support of the affected leg should be avoided for 8 to 12 weeks, so the patient should walk with crutches during this period of time. After this period, progressive weight bearing will begin until the patient stops using the crutches and walks normally.
The specialists in Traumatology affirm that, in many cases, the mobility of the knee will be able to be initiated a few days after the operation.
It is also necessary to undergo rehabilitation treatment with the aim of progressively recovering joint mobility and muscle trophism.
Being able to practice sports after a knee fracture depends on the type of requirements of the sport practiced by the patient. The greater the physical demand, the longer the delay in the patient’s return to sporting activity.