Bone breaks around the knee :

Driving with fractured patella - - Posted by Ppettijohn (Ppettijohn), 3 January 2005

I fractured my patella Dec. 11th, didn't go to the doctor and get diagnosed until the 13th, saw an OS Dec. 14th.  He put me in an immobilizer and told me I could weight bear and return to work immediately, which I did.  The problem is that I have a long commute-- 45 minutes to an hour each way, 1 1/2 to 2 plus hours total.  I tried driving with the immobilizer, but that didn't work! (Don't ask).  I had already scheduled two weeks of vacation over the holidays, so I just took a few sick days to bridge the gap between my "immobilization" and my vacation, and have been off until today.  Today I removed my immobilizer for the drive to work and will do the same for the drive home. My doctor never told me not to drive, but we never discussed driving.  However, I have been getting some feedback that I should NOT be driving, not be bending the knee, etc.  I just don't know what to do.  I left a message with his nurse from work today, but have not rec'd a returned call in four hours.  I do tend to minimize, but the impression I got before coming to kneeguru was that my fracture, because it was not dislocated, was no big deal, and I was not given any limits-- I was told I could do anything that I could figure out how to do in an immobilizer and on a crutch-- lift weights, etc.  The only limitation is on bending my knee. I posted a long-winded version of this in the general knee question area, and was advised to bring it to this area of the BB.  Thanks
Posted by lizl (lizl), 4 January 2005

Ppettijohn,

I haven't read the "long winded" version yet or the responses you got there, but I do want to respond at the risk of being repetitive. KEEP THAT IMMOBILIZER ON! I hope that is clear enough.  If your kneecap is broken, not just cracked, it's especially important. Every time you flex that knee, your patella is enduring competing forces that could pull the pieces apart. I just cannot emphasize enough that you should be constantly guarding against that. The fact that you can weight bear means nothing. What you have to avoid is bending.

If your patella heals in a non-union fashion, you might end up with the real-deal surgery. Just so you know how serious that is, let me tell you that my surgery involved 17 staples and a nine inch incision. That's nasty stuff that you'd just as soon skip.

All that having been said, let me also welcome you to the Broken Patella-ite Club! Please keep us informed. We do care.

LizL
Posted by Pat_A.E. (Pat_A.E.), 6 January 2005

I'll add to what Liz wrote and say the other reason that you shouldn't be driving is because of the possibility of an accident, or the very least trying to avoid one.  Just think of the fun the attoney would have if you were in an accident and they found out that you had a fracture and were suppose to be wearing an immobilzer.  OR, what happens if you need to "throw on the brakes?"  I had to do that when I was rear ended last summer, over 1 year after my fracture.  Let me tell you, it hurt like *****, and that was after the fracture healed.

Good luck and follow doctor's orders for full recovery.
Posted by kgrosskurth (Kathy G), 10 January 2005

I agree with both Liz and Pat, ppettijohn - please do not drive and keep on your immobilizer. You do not want to do anything to jeopardize your recovery or to make it longer than need be

With that said, welcome to KneeGeeks! We hope you like being here with us!!

This old Forum was so valuable that we have kept it as an archive. It is just for reference. If you want to ask questions or offer advice, there is also a current Bulletin Board which you can access from our home page.