Anyone else broken a kneecap?
Discussion
Just a little update, been nearly 4 months since I broke my kneecap into 5 pieces. Had 9 weeks sat on my ass at home before coming back to work on light duties which I am still on and will be for a while. My walking is coming along fine but the knee itself is still very weak, stairs are still painfull and I can't properly control a step down with left leg. Am having physio in work which is good, made good progress to begin with but seems to have stalled a little the last few weeks which is frustrating. Physio is trying to get hold of the consultant who did my op to see about the removal of the metalwork in the knee as this might help, the pins actually protrude quite alot out of the kneecap and now the swelling is down they can be seen and felt under the skin. Also can feel the head of screw at side of kneecap.
Am driving ok but as it's my left leg to many gear changes can make it uncomfortable, did contemplate buying a cheap auto for a while but I do like my 9-5 aero! Also tried riding one of my bikes last week as I have been itching to get on a bike in this nice weather, after a easy 5 mins of duel carriageway I was in agony, so won't be trying again for another few weeks at least. Was quite disheartened after that as I really thought I'd would be ok, had been sitting on bike in garage trying to lift leg onto footpegs etc and was finally ok but actually riding is quite different. Certainly won't be getting out on my cbr this summer :-( .
Am driving ok but as it's my left leg to many gear changes can make it uncomfortable, did contemplate buying a cheap auto for a while but I do like my 9-5 aero! Also tried riding one of my bikes last week as I have been itching to get on a bike in this nice weather, after a easy 5 mins of duel carriageway I was in agony, so won't be trying again for another few weeks at least. Was quite disheartened after that as I really thought I'd would be ok, had been sitting on bike in garage trying to lift leg onto footpegs etc and was finally ok but actually riding is quite different. Certainly won't be getting out on my cbr this summer :-( .
I think il certainly be asking for the pins to be removed at least. The tops of them are now visible under the skin. So far I have been quite carefull and not caught or banged my knee so far, except for my angelic toddler niece whacking me with her giant lolly right on the top of the pins haha.
It's been 8 months since I broke my kneecap now and finally getting the metalwork removed in a weeks time, along with a clean up of the rear of the kneecap.
My main problem now is leg strength. I can walk ok and my range of movement is good, maybe lacking the last few degrees of a straight leg raise. My physio didn't actually start until around 10 weeks after my accident so the level of muscle wastage was pretty bad, and I didn't have chunky legs to begin with! I need to build up my thighs again but normal excercises don't seem to be cutting it.
I get a fair bit of pain above the kneecap which I'm hoping is the metal work catching something so may go after surgery.
Would anyone recommend any particular activities or excercises that may help to build the legs up quicker? Would cycling help much? I already walk a fair bit with my dogs etc (dartmoor mainly so plenty of hills and tors).
Also would there be any benefit to taking any muscle building supplements or would this be a bit much to soon? Cheers
My main problem now is leg strength. I can walk ok and my range of movement is good, maybe lacking the last few degrees of a straight leg raise. My physio didn't actually start until around 10 weeks after my accident so the level of muscle wastage was pretty bad, and I didn't have chunky legs to begin with! I need to build up my thighs again but normal excercises don't seem to be cutting it.
I get a fair bit of pain above the kneecap which I'm hoping is the metal work catching something so may go after surgery.
Would anyone recommend any particular activities or excercises that may help to build the legs up quicker? Would cycling help much? I already walk a fair bit with my dogs etc (dartmoor mainly so plenty of hills and tors).
Also would there be any benefit to taking any muscle building supplements or would this be a bit much to soon? Cheers
jackthelad1984 said:
It's been 8 months since I broke my kneecap now and finally getting the metalwork removed in a weeks time, along with a clean up of the rear of the kneecap.
My main problem now is leg strength. I can walk ok and my range of movement is good, maybe lacking the last few degrees of a straight leg raise. My physio didn't actually start until around 10 weeks after my accident so the level of muscle wastage was pretty bad, and I didn't have chunky legs to begin with! I need to build up my thighs again but normal excercises don't seem to be cutting it.
I get a fair bit of pain above the kneecap which I'm hoping is the metal work catching something so may go after surgery.
Would anyone recommend any particular activities or excercises that may help to build the legs up quicker? Would cycling help much? I already walk a fair bit with my dogs etc (dartmoor mainly so plenty of hills and tors).
Also would there be any benefit to taking any muscle building supplements or would this be a bit much to soon? Cheers
Hello mate, missed this first time around.My main problem now is leg strength. I can walk ok and my range of movement is good, maybe lacking the last few degrees of a straight leg raise. My physio didn't actually start until around 10 weeks after my accident so the level of muscle wastage was pretty bad, and I didn't have chunky legs to begin with! I need to build up my thighs again but normal excercises don't seem to be cutting it.
I get a fair bit of pain above the kneecap which I'm hoping is the metal work catching something so may go after surgery.
Would anyone recommend any particular activities or excercises that may help to build the legs up quicker? Would cycling help much? I already walk a fair bit with my dogs etc (dartmoor mainly so plenty of hills and tors).
Also would there be any benefit to taking any muscle building supplements or would this be a bit much to soon? Cheers
I broke my patella about 15 years ago I think. I did it about 2 years after breaking my femur on the same side (both mountain bike injuries) so my leg took a bit of a bashing. The femur was a quick recovery and I was able to get back on the bike again pretty quickly. The patella - well, my leg still isn't right. Although to be fair I've not done much about it. I can ride bikes and stuff but I've never been able to get my quad back to anywhere near the size as before. This is mainly because there's a pain threshold I just can't get past when properly working out the leg. Maybe I should have done something more about it (so learn my lesson) but I've kind of accepted it now.
I'm struggling with the same pain issue when really pushing the leg. Like getting up from kneeling down etc. I can bare the pain if I was seeing some results but I'm not really. My physio thinks the metalwork may be impeding on my tendons so there may be some improvement when the metalwork is out of the way and the kneecap has been smoothed at the back. Think I may have to purchase a bike and give that a go. I have never really been a gym person but do enjoy a kick around or run about with my dogs or nicer and nephews etc (or my own kids at some point!) and would like to be able to move quicker than my current quasimodo impression if I try to run!
When I shattered my leg, after it was out of the cast the calf muscle was literally the size of my forearm, total muscle wastage.
I found the best exercise to get a) movement b) strength back, was to go swimming and lots of it.
I was doing 4 km swimming a week and the muscles in my leg were back to normal after a few intensive months.
Don't know how the movement of the knee is like with swimming, but I can highly recommend it.
I found the best exercise to get a) movement b) strength back, was to go swimming and lots of it.
I was doing 4 km swimming a week and the muscles in my leg were back to normal after a few intensive months.
Don't know how the movement of the knee is like with swimming, but I can highly recommend it.
Swimming should be ok, the main pain is when trying to bear my whole bodyweight through my knee whilst the leg is bent and trying to straighten. My range of movement is fine, maybe a few degrees less than my other leg but not much.
Took me months to be able to get back onto a motorbike (600 fazer so fairly comfortable) as struggled to lift leg up to the peg comfortably, that's ok now, not ridden my sportsbike though this year which sucks. Kneeling sucks at the mo but that's mainly due to the pins poking against the skin but that should be better post op.
Been light duties at work since I came back which is driving me bonkers, I work on ships and subs but am not allowed on ladders so am still workshop bound :-(
Took me months to be able to get back onto a motorbike (600 fazer so fairly comfortable) as struggled to lift leg up to the peg comfortably, that's ok now, not ridden my sportsbike though this year which sucks. Kneeling sucks at the mo but that's mainly due to the pins poking against the skin but that should be better post op.
Been light duties at work since I came back which is driving me bonkers, I work on ships and subs but am not allowed on ladders so am still workshop bound :-(
I'm circa thirty years down the road from a massive knee injury (femur split between the condyles, four inches of it was missing) broken tib/fib and patella for good measure plus 1/4 of my quad is a mixture of bone and muscle.
I've got no cartilage, two missing ligaments and a fair bit of metal in there. Oh, I've also got 2" still missing. But...
Since I started cycling again I'm massively better than I used to be. I don't really limp, I can be pain free during the night, I can even get up from the floor quicker than a pensioner
OK, I can't run but I'm not bothered about that.
I cycle an average of 100 miles per week in summer, slightly less in winter as I switch to the pool. Swimming's not bad, I used to do three miles per week but for me cycling really does it.
It took a couple of years for the real benefits to show through but if you work at it there are huge gains to be had.
Oh, and my knees are almost the same size now, there used to be a 2" difference in circumference, that's down to 1/2" now.
Get pedalling
I've got no cartilage, two missing ligaments and a fair bit of metal in there. Oh, I've also got 2" still missing. But...
Since I started cycling again I'm massively better than I used to be. I don't really limp, I can be pain free during the night, I can even get up from the floor quicker than a pensioner
OK, I can't run but I'm not bothered about that.
I cycle an average of 100 miles per week in summer, slightly less in winter as I switch to the pool. Swimming's not bad, I used to do three miles per week but for me cycling really does it.
It took a couple of years for the real benefits to show through but if you work at it there are huge gains to be had.
Oh, and my knees are almost the same size now, there used to be a 2" difference in circumference, that's down to 1/2" now.
Get pedalling
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