Fracture Treatment Specialists

What commonly causes a knee fracture?

When the patella (kneecap) is fractured, it’s often caused by a direct blow, such as falling onto the knee. Your kneecap can also be indirectly injured when it’s pulled by a contraction of the quadriceps muscle.

In some cases, your femur (thigh bone) or tibia (shin bone) may suffer a fracture that extends into the knee joint. These fractures are usually the result of a sports injury, a fall, or an auto accident.

What commonly causes an ankle fracture?

An ankle fracture can occur in any of the three bones that make up your ankle joint, which includes your talus (ankle bone), and the tibia and fibula where these two leg bones articulate with the talus.

These bones are most often fractured during a fall or athletic activities. Ankle fractures may be caused by a direct impact or a stress fracture that develops from overuse. However, they’re commonly the result of twisting or rolling your ankle.

What commonly causes a shoulder fracture?

Your shoulder is made up of three bones, the scapula (shoulder blade), clavicle (collarbone), and humerus (top part of your arm bone).

Although you can break any of these bones, the scapula is well-protected by chest muscles, so it’s not often fractured unless you experience a direct chest injury.

The other two bones are most commonly broken due to a direct blow, a fall, or motor vehicle accident.

What symptoms will I develop following a knee, ankle, or shoulder fracture?

No matter where your fracture is located, they all share similar symptoms:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Loss of motion
• Inability to put weight on the bone
• Deformity when the bone is displaced

Even if your pain and swelling seem mild, a potential fracture of your knee, ankle, or shoulder should be immediately examined by your doctor at ORTHOKnox. Continuing to use the affected joint may worsen the damage or cause further trauma to the surrounding soft tissues.

How are fractures treated?

When you have a fracture, your doctor typically immobilizes the bones to ensure that they heal properly. If the bones are not displaced, you may be treated in a cast, brace, or sling, depending on the location of the fracture.

Surgical intervention is typically necessary when the bones are displaced, a bone has broken through the skin, or if other structures in the joint are damaged.

Whenever possible, the doctors at ORTHOKnox repair fractures using minimally invasive surgery such as arthroscopic surgery. This type of surgery is less traumatic because it’s performed through a few very small incisions instead of one large incision. However, a minimally invasive procedure may not be possible for all fractures.

Once your fracture heals, the next step is physical therapy to rehabilitate the joint and restore strength and movement. At ORTHOKnox, you can receive all of your rehabilitation on site from experienced physical therapists.

For Bone Fracture Treatment, Call Our Orthopedic Doctors in Knoxville & Athens, TN

If you develop pain and swelling in your knee, ankle, or shoulder, call ORTHOKnox or book an appointment online.