The knees are an important part of one’s body and perform all the important functions such as walking, running, kicking etc. It holds the two important bones of the legs together namely, the femur and the shin and allows smooth motion between the two. The kneecap or patella is a thin bone over the joint of these two bones that protects the knee, which can fracture easily.
What Happens to Your Kneecap when it Gets Hurt?
When there is a sudden impact on the delicate patella, the bone shatters. The bones are required to stay together for them to heal. But if the injury dislocates the pieces of the bone so far away from each other that they have no contact between them, then they need to be removed with the help of surgery. In the former case however, the doctors put a cast around the knee to promote healing.
Can You Still Walk Without a Kneecap?
People can still walk without a kneecap but certain postures that require support from the patella like kneeling, aren’t possible. However, with a protective gear that too is possible. This, however, is not recommended and will cause even more damage to your knee over time. Any fracture should not be left to heal on their own, and for a joint as important as the kneecap, immediate medical care is important.
Can a Broken Kneecap Heal On its Own?
A kneecap does not heal on its own without a cast, splint or eventual surgery. If the damage to the patella is so severe that the bone has no chance of recovery, the doctors instead of implanting a prosthetic, simply allow the person to live without one because minor tasks are possible with a knee cap.
What Causes Knee Pain?
Knee pain can arise from injury or medical conditions such as arthritis or from varying reasons. If the pain is unbearable and causes routine work to be a big bother, then it is important to get help. A lot of the minor knee pain issues can be very easily resolved at home using self-care but for the other ones, surgeries are required. If there is swelling accompanied by fever, discoloration, a cracking or popping noise with motion and inability to unflatten the knee then you require immediate medical attention.
If left untreated, the knee will have an obvious deformity and misalignment of the bones in the area. The sharp edges of the bones can cut into the surrounding muscle or tissue and an infection can develop in the area, not to mention worsening of the pain.
How Should I Look After My Kneecaps?
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle of nutritional food intake and moderate exercise is important for overall health. Exercise also helps to strengthen your muscles and eating food with good calcium, iron and minerals will help your bones, Doctors always recommend their patients to first care and treat the knee with medicines or physiotherapy before finally suggesting surgery to ease their discomfort. More information about maintenance can be found here.
This also depends on the severity of the case. Surgery could be the first prescription after diagnosis too. It is always wise to seek medical attention once pain is felt, as pain is the body’s way of letting you know that something isn’t going right. Seeking medical attention early could also mean the difference between prevention and cure.
Read more about knee cap replacement offered here.
