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Broken kneecap (fractured patella)
Your kneecap, or patella, is the bone that sits in front of your knee joint. It is held in place by a
tendon.
A broken kneecap is quite a common injury, because your kneecap acts as a shield to protect
your knee joint. A break usually happens because of a direct blow to the bone, such as falling
onto a hard surface and landing on your knees.
A broken kneecap is a serious injury, and often needs surgery. Over the long-term, it can cause
arthritis in your knee.
This page explains what happens when your kneecap breaks. Other pages on HealthInfo explain
what happens when other bones in your knee break.
How do I know if I have broken my kneecap?
If you have broken your kneecap the front of your knee will be painful and swollen. As well you
will:
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have bruising
be unable to straighten your knee
be unable to walk.
Your doctor, nurse practitioner, or physiotherapist will diagnose a broken kneecap by listening to
your explanation of what happened, examining you, and looking at an X-ray of your knee.
How is a broken kneecap treated?
How your broken kneecap is treated depends on what the
fracture looks like.
If the break is stable (the bones won't move much) and you can
fully straighten and raise your leg, you may be treated with a
brace. This is called non-operative management.
The brace will limit the movement of your leg so the bones can
heal.
It may be uncomfortable to put weight on your leg until the
bone is completely healed, which may take six to eight weeks,
or even longer. Some people use crutches during this time.
If your fracture is unstable (meaning the bones could move
around a lot) you might need surgery.
Whether you have surgery or not, you will need some time off work. How long will depend on
your specific treatment, what your job involves, and whether there are light duties you can do.
HealthInfo reference: 132280
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Issued: 8 February 2017
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Page 1 of 2
Broken kneecap (fractured patella)
www.healthinfo.org.nz
Things you can do to help your recovery
No matter whether you do or don't have surgery, there are some things you can do to make sure
you recover as quickly and as well as possible.
Make sure you follow the advice of your doctor, physiotherapist, or other health professional in
terms of rehabilitation and exercises. This is very important, as not following instructions may
mean your broken kneecap doesn't heal, or heals in the wrong position. This can lead to
continuing pain and further problems.
Raise your leg for the first 24 to 48 hours, and apply ice for 20 minutes every four to five hours.
If you smoke, stop smoking. Smoking affects how well your body can make new blood vessels,
which reduces your chances of healing well.
Make sure you keep your wound, and cast if you have one, clean, dry, and covered.
Follow the instructions for any pain relief medicine you are given, and avoid any antiinflammatory medicines, as they can slow down bone healing.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Endorsed by orthopaedic surgeon, Canterbury DHB. February 2017.
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HealthInfo reference: 132280
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Issued: 8 February 2017
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Page 2 of 2