KNEE PROBLEMS: PATELLAR TENDON RUPTURE
You’re playing basketball, you come down from a rebound, and suddenly you’re in terrible pain. Your knee swells up, and you can’t straighten your leg. This is the typical scenario of a patellar tendon rupture, an injury that most often affects people in their forties while they are engaging in physical activity, although in more rare cases, it could also be caused by another type of injury, such as a fall.
In some cases, the tendon may only be partially ruptured, which is painful but not as serious as a complete rupture.
Diagnosis
Similar to a quadriceps tendon rupture, patients with a patellar tendon rupture will not be able to straighten their injured leg. In addition, they will be in a great deal of pain.
On an X ray, the patella will appear in a somewhat higher position (a few millimeters higher) on the knee than normal.
An MRI can determine if the rupture is complete or partial.
Treatment
A complete rupture must be surgically repaired with open-knee surgery. The tendon ends must be cleaned, reattached, and sutured back to the patella or tibia, depending on the location of the tear. You will then be casted for anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks, and once the cast is removed, you will begin exercises to restore your full range of motion. Leg strengthening exercises are also essential to help build up strength in the injured leg so that it is equal to the noninjured leg.
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