I had my 4week post op visit. Xrays looked good the doc said, seeing the hardware hit me alot harder than just knowing its in there. Had my full length cast cut off(what a relief) and they put me in a brace set at 30 rom.still nwb. I'm suppose to work up to that in the 4weeks before my next appointment. The first time I got out the wheelchair, ive been so used to the hard cast than I dropped the foot rest without supporting my leg & my knee bent, not sure how far but far enuf to make me scream...so I think 30 will b a reachable goal.. its seems like a low number to me, my knee hasn't been flexed in 6wks..has anyone else had this slow of recovery? Os told me we would discuss PT nxt month. I need some ideas for excersises I can star now that will help later.. another 4 weeks of boredom . I can't even use my cruthes to get around more cause my vertigo is still pretty bad.. why does it scare me so much to have that leg naked?

Kneecandy,

   Thank you for posting this because I was going to post just last week about ROM.  I am very happy that your X-rays look good and that your cast is off. Congrats!!! 

I just barely avoided surgery. Fell on June 6th, fractured patella. After 4 weeks of an immobilzer I started PT.

I just finished my forth week of PT  and my question lately is how long until I can fully bend my knee..  I know that everyone is different. But I know most get ROM back on its own while others have to be put under to get the knee to bend. Is it only in rare cases someone needs to be put under?

For me, on my first PT visit, the therapist used the leg holder on the wheelchair to slowly move my leg down. It got to about 35 degrees on my second visit. By the next week it was a little over 40 desgees.

At my last appointment, end of the forth week, I had a ROM of 82.  While I am happy about that, I just want to make sure it's normal to go this slow.   I have my next doctors appointment  August 20th and he told me two weeks ago I should be able to walk in with no help and be able to bring my leg up from a laying down position, which I still cannot do.

I think dangling hurt a lot but that pain went away after I did it several times.  The worst now is while in a sitting position, kicking my leg out. Ouch.. I am only able to do it a couple inches.  It's very hard to do.

As for exersizes, I would ask the doctor just to be sure it's okay for you to do, heel pumps are good and what I started with..  While in the immobilizer, I would point my toes down and pump my heel that way, but the PT said I needed to have my toes towards me while pumping and that I was doing it backwards before. Nice!