Broken kneecap!

No advice at all I’m afraid, but just to say hope it mends soon it must be so painful!

I fractured my left patella by tripping on an uneven pavement in 2011. I was taken to hospital in an ambulance and admitted as an emergency but I had to wait nearly a week as an inpatient before my patella was repaired.

Post operatively, while I was in hospital, I was supervised by a physiotherapist and taught to use crutches, including learning to go up and down stairs. I continued to attend physio sessions as an outpatient as part of a class with about 20 other people needing rehab for various reasons. I soon got bored with the sessions and stopped attending but I kept up the exercising, mainly going up and down stairs and longer and longer walks, having abandoned the crutches as soon as I could. I took a stick with me but after a while found it a nuisance rather than a help as I kept forgetting it and having to go back for it.

At first, it took a fair bit of courage to tackle stairs without crutches or sticks but I got used to it, after about a month.

I had a fair amount of metal work left in my knee and this began to grate, after about a year, so I had it removed.

I still have a very impressive scar down the middle of my kneecap. I can no longer run but, otherwise I am still very mobile.

I like swimming and found it useful in the early days for loosening up my knee. I still go swimming but mainly for enjoyment and general exercise.

Although this is my personal experience and I describe what happened 13 years ago, within a particular hospital trust, I hope it is of use to you.

I know other people who have made better recoveries than I have including a young man who was back playing rugby after only a few months.

Thank you so much!
This was very helpful - and encouraging too!
It’s only 3 weeks since I had the accident - tripping over on a country walk - the day after my 80th birthday too!
I have a huge splint over my leg to keep it straight and rigid, and apparently it’s not going to be operated on, but left for the bones to heal and bond together again. I guess that it’s going to be a long haul!
Not being able to shower for a while is presenting a challenge too!

That sounds horrible, Southdowns.

I hope you have good painkillers, and that you get well soon.

I was in a splint for a while too. It is sounds as though your fracture is not as severe as mine was, I hope it isn't. My patella was well and truly shattered hence all the metal work.

Nevertheless, I lived to tell the tale and I don't have serious mobility problems.

I wish you a speedy recovery and I hope you will be walking normally, going upstairs and showering again soon.

Thank you!
It’s not really painful, just awkward and difficult to get around - also I realised that I won’t be going anywhere - except to hospital by taxi - for some time!

Thank you, that’s really kind.
I’m off to the hospital on Tuesday to have more X-rays and meet the Consultant ( for the first time). I gather that the patella has a 3 way split, so not as complicated as yours.
How did you manage to break yours so badly?
Clearly you’ve made a magnificent recovery!

Replying to Southdowns: I fell over outside a hospital in February this year. My left knee really hurt, but all I wanted to do was get home. After a month of pain, especially while I was driving my automatic, I went to the walk-in clinic and the x-ray showed that my kneecap was broken in 3 places. I just couldn't believe it as I'd been walking on it for a month. I was put in an immobiliser for 2 months, and am now having physiotherapy. I can walk up and down stairs (fortunately I live in a bungalow), but it is still painful, bruised and swollen. I've found a very helpful site on Facebook: The Fractured Patella Support Group. Lots of helpful suggestions and encouragement. Hope you're on the mend!

I was walking to the shops, near where I live and I tripped on a broken paving stone that was sticking up about about half an inch.

I fell heavily onto my left knee. The pain was indescribable and I was unable to get up.

A kind lady rang for an ambulance for me on her mobile.

I suffer from osteoporosis but I don't know if this made matters worse.

Useful to know about The Fractured Patella Support Group, thanks meddijess.

Thanks so much for the information about the Facebook group. I’ve just applied to join!

I'm really sorry you have this. I don't have any experience of a broken knee cap, but can relate to the restrictions of wearing a splint and not being able to do stairs (different knee problem in both knees) and also not being able to get in and out of a bath.

You could call the hospital to ask for advice about showering - sometimes the nurses are quite helpful. I suspect they'll say you shouldn't get the split wet. I'm not sure if covering it with plastic would prevent it getting wet either. I had to resort to a strip wash sitting down when things were acute :-)

With most breaks it tends to be about six weeks healing time and then physio but I don't know about kneecaps.

Are you able to walk at all with the splint on? If having to sit a lot I'd suggest getting a waffle type pressure cushion to sit on meanwhile as I actually got the beginnings of a pressure sore from sitting too much in one position when I had restriction from an acute knee problem. And then couldn't sit down at all! But not a doughnut cushion - I was told to throw that away as they can cut your circulation off apparently.

Hopefully your splint will be off at the next Consultant appointment or within 6 weeks :-)

Are you stuck upstairs or downstairs meanwhile?

Thank you! Your experience has been very helpful, and is much appreciated.
I’m quite lucky in a way in that I am becoming more mobile every day - I even got the vacuum cleaner out this morning - though not sure that that was very wise!
I can walk about quite easily with the splint - I used to hang on to the zimmer frame , but tend not to use it much now.
I live in a bungalow, so that’s good, but going out ( apart from the garden) is virtually impossible - apart from in a taxi. I’m right at the end of the village with no pavement outside.
Like you, I do a strip down wash, I realise that showering or washing my hair won’t be possible for a while, so I’ve just booked a hair wash in my local salon, and will go there by taxi - luckily it’s not far.
As you say, 6 weeks is the expected time for bones to heal, and I’m going to see the Consultant tomorrow and have some more X-rays.
To be honest, so far the worst thing is to have to self administer the VTE prophylaxis daily injection to prevent blood clots, I find that quite a challenge, though I do realise that it’s important!
And of course I’m still only 3 weeks in - had my accident the day after ny 80th birthday on a celebratory walk in the countryside! Certainly not the celebration I intended!

You sound as though you are well on the mend and will soon 'up and doing'. It was a shame about your birthday walk ending this way.

All the best for a speedy recovery.