9 yr old Injured Patella

[Chela62678]

Hi Everyone,

My 9 yr old injured his right patella on 10/5 during football. Initial dr said it was an avulsion fracture, no surgery needed. He was in a knee immobilizer for 2 weeks. Then just knee brace and crutches. I read that it takes 4-6 weeks to heal. He fell at school and tweaked it. No reinjury but Time extended. He has a championship game on 11/24. Dr couldn’t see him on 10/21 cause they’ll be on holiday until dec 2. We got a second opinion and that dr said it was a tendon rupture 🤦🏽‍♀️.

My son started pt yesterday and the crutches are gone, and PT said that his hurt leg is stronger than his other.

He can return to activity just no contact.
We have one week to see if he can play. Dr said not full game nor full qrtr but up to us. But can risk reinjury.

Anyone deal with this?

I am at my wits end it’s so stressful, PT said he will only do 1 session for 4 weeks.

[The KNEEguru]

I am happy to look up some literature for you. Was it a 'sleeve' fracture? https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1726490111000220

[Chela62678]

I am happy to look up some literature for you. Was it a 'sleeve' fracture? https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1726490111000220

Thank you. This was never mentioned. It did not swell at all the day it happened.
He practiced for two days on it when we noticed he could not run without pain and discomfort. Took him and they told us looked like a fracture.

He’s been on it up and down and we are perplexed for sure.

[The KNEEguru]

Hi again
It is hard to advise you when you are so uncertain of the exact facts. If your son had a full tendon rupture of the patellar tendon below the kneecap or the quads tendon above the kneecap, or a fracture through the kneecap, then I am sure he would not be able to play sport. I was wondering if there might be some confusion with a bipartite patella - where in some children an X-ray reveals what looks like a fracture or an avulsion, but in reality it is just a failure of the parts of the patella to properly join together as they normally do in children - see https://www.knee-pain-explained.com/bipartite-patella.html

[Chela62678]

Hi again
It is hard to advise you when you are so uncertain of the exact facts. If your son had a full tendon rupture of the patellar tendon below the kneecap or the quads tendon above the kneecap, or a fracture through the kneecap, then I am sure he would not be able to play sport. I was wondering if there might be some confusion with a bipartite patella - where in some children an X-ray reveals what looks like a fracture or an avulsion, but in reality it is just a failure of the parts of the patella to properly join together as they normally do in children - see https://www.knee-pain-explained.com/bipartite-patella.html

I don’t believe this is it. I can’t upload the xray’s but you can see the “chipped” knee initially. We taking it day by day.

Thank you for your help

[The KNEEguru]

OK. Hopefully it will all settle.