What is the conservative treatment for patellar fracture?

The patella is an indispensable part of the leg bones. The main function of the patella is to support standing or walking. It is very important for people's movements. Although the patella is not as famous as other leg bones, once there is a problem with the patella, it will have a great impact. Severe patellar fractures may also cause paralysis in patients. Therefore, people cannot underestimate the influence of the patella. Although some unexpected situations are inevitable in life, we can remedy them through appropriate measures. Let’s take a look at how to treat patellar fractures conservatively.

If conservative treatment is used after a patellar fracture, it is mainly fixed with a plaster splint or a vascular fixator. Moreover, this type of patellar fracture does not require special techniques to be reduced. It only requires surgery to drain the blood inside the joint and then bandage it. It is best to use a long leg plaster splint to fix the affected limb.

Patellar fracture should be treated conservatively and long-term plaster fixation should be performed in the early stage. The time is 6 to 8 weeks. Some early muscle strength exercises should also be performed during this period to avoid muscle atrophy. However, you should not walk too much during this period and should not use walking as a method of exercise. Otherwise, dislocation, joint swelling, and effusion may easily occur, affecting functional recovery and tissue healing. In the middle stage, which is 6 to 8 weeks, after the plaster is removed, you can do appropriate activities to perform muscle strengthening exercises. You can choose to practice with light loads.

Mainly, you can start doing some flexion exercises, which should be done under the guidance of a professional, and you can also do stretching exercises. After eight weeks, you can do some light-load exercises, such as walking and some functional exercises. During this period, the main focus is on training to restore the strength of the patella and surrounding muscles to avoid muscle atrophy. However, it is worth noting that patients at this stage are still unable to walk with weight for a long time.

For conservative treatment of patellar fractures, the most important thing is exercise. Patients should not perform functional exercises too early, otherwise it may affect the healing of fractures or cause dislocation. However, patients cannot stay in bed for a long time without exercise, as this may lead to muscle atrophy.