Knee fracture
A knee fracture is a difficult injury because four bones are involved in the formation of this joint. Due to the vulnerability of this area, the knee joint breaks in 10% of the total number of fractures. Moreover, men and women are equally susceptible to this injury. The age category also varies: from 20 years old or more.
Content:
- Knee fracture reasons
- Types of knee fractures
- Diagnostics
- Knee fracture treatment
- Rehabilitation
Knee fracture symptoms
Signs of a general nature for all knee injuries should be considered:
- identification of acute painful sensations that intensify in the process of feeling the joint, as well as when attempting any, even the smallest movement in the knee area;
- the systematic formation of puffiness in the knee joint;
- taking into account the main role of injury in the occurrence of the fracture and its location, bruising begins to appear;
- there is a violation of the functioning of the joint, in this regard, the victim cannot carry out any movements with the injured limb, and also cannot step on the injured leg.
Knee fracture reasons
The main factors in the occurrence of a fracture of the knee joint are forceful impact on it or significant pressure. The most common fracture of the patella (patella) occurs during the fall on the knee, which was in a bent position.
More rare are cases of a fracture with a direct impact on the patella area, and in some situations, a fracture can occur without force. Sometimes the injury is caused by too much traction on the tendon, which destroys the patellar bones and surrounding muscles. With this option, in 90% of cases, there is a complete separation of the lower region of the patella, in the remaining 10% - partial.
Types of knee fractures
Knee fractures fall into the following categories:
- hip injury;
- injury to the tibia;
- injury to the fibula;
- patellar injury;
- trauma to the meniscus.
In accordance with the division into types, it is customary to distinguish between such knee fractures as extra- and intra-articular. In the latter case, a rupture of the synovial bursa occurs, which covers the outer part of the joint, and in the first case, damage is noted exclusively to the bone, without affecting the articular part.
Diagnostics
An accurate diagnosis of a fracture of any bones or joints can only be carried out using an X-ray examination. It is with the help of X-rays that it turns out to correctly determine the fracture line, as well as the probable displacement of parts of the knee joint relative to each other.
A fracture in the area of the knee joint cartilage is characterized by a less vivid clinical picture. It is characteristic of this injury that painful sensations begin to intensify with the implementation of movements. At rest, pain is not observed. X-ray, in the vast majority of cases, does not reveal even the smallest deviations.
Arthroscopy plays a significant role in the diagnosis of knee injuries. This procedure involves visualization of the joint area using endoscopic equipment. This method makes it possible to consider a crack in the cartilage tissue, which is the main reason for the violation of the optimal functioning of the muscles of the knee joint. Symptoms similar to the described clinical manifestations are also characteristic of a meniscus fracture, which is determined during arthroscopy.
Knee fracture treatment
The treatment process should begin immediately after the diagnosis has been made. At the same time, at any of the stages of therapy, the volume and characteristics of the process may be different, depending on the required actions.
For example, first aid involves ensuring the immobility of the joint by any available means. The goal of maintaining immobility is to prevent further injury to the joint. In addition, at this stage, it is desirable to administer analgesics that prevent pain shock. After immobilization and anesthesia, all actions of the first stage of treatment can be considered complete.
The next step in treatment is carried out with the support of a trauma doctor. This stage implies the need to match the bone fragments in the anatomically correct order, as well as to fix them in the optimal position. This will help create the most favorable conditions for the healing process.
The described comparison can be carried out:
- by a closed method, that is, without surgical intervention using manual techniques;
- open - in this case, an operational effect is carried out with further fixation of bone tissues using special devices.
Typically, after a knee fracture, an elastic bandage is needed to keep the joint still. If the articular cartilage has been damaged, in the second stage of treatment it is necessary to use chondroprotectors - drugs that help restore the structure of the cartilage tissue.
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In some situations, it is necessary to use anti-inflammatory drugs. For example, a fracture in the area of the knee condyle, the treatment of which is very often accompanied by the intake of such drugs, in 70% of cases is complicated by autoimmune processes. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to suppress them.
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Rehabilitation
In the process of treating a fracture of the knee joint, the final stage is rehabilitation, which makes it possible to make the knee motility full again. Rehabilitation activities include frequent massage, exercise therapy, and physical therapy.
All these measures must be prescribed directly by a specialist. Only in this case, you can count on 100% and the fastest recovery after such a complex injury as a fracture of the knee joint.
Author of the article: Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich | Orthopedist
Education: diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received in 2009 at the Medical Academy. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012 completed postgraduate studies in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the City Clinical Hospital named after Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery.
