Fractured Patella

[SimonSays]

I fractured my patella about a week and a half ago getting kicked by my old pony…spring time she comes into heat and pees on her legs and chaffs her poor butt cheeks, so I was trying to clean her up and it must have been sore and she clocked me right in the knee cap. She never offered in her 21 years to kick anyone. Just one of those shit happens sometimes moments- poor old lady.

Xrays showed a fracture of the lower portion on the patella. The ortho put me in a full leg brace immobilizer and crutches for the time being and ordered an MRI. I had the MRI yesterday and have a follow up with the ortho Dr on Thursday morning. The MRI said “Small avulsion fracture arising from the lower pole cortex of the patella. This fragment measures up to 1 cm. Approximately 2.9mm of maximum separation of the fragments. And the distal femur and proximal tibia/fibula are intact.” So I’m hoping that’s decent news that none of the ligaments are damaged, etc. I’m just not sure if the fracture is in a place that will heal on its own or is its displaced enough that would need surgical intervention.

I’m just dreading how long this is going to take to heal up. And hoping they say I don’t need surgery and that the fracture will heal with rest. Ugh! Anyone have similar experience? and can share their experience healing or getting surgically repaired?

Of course the weather is finally getting beautiful around here and I can’t ride or hardly do anything. I also am terrible at sitting around or asking for help lol- aren’t all us horse ladies?!?! But I am lucky my darling husband has been doing all the chores and held everyone for the farrier yesterday. We have 10 at home currently between my critters, 2 boarders and 2 training horses.

[HorseLover65]

Hope your recovery goes well!

[Arzny]

I had this happen while galloping. Was kicked when slightly behind another horse. I was kicked so hard the skin exploded due to the pressure. 12 staples later, the doctor explained the same thing - it would heal well without surgery. It did and I was back riding before I was even out of the brace.

It did heal well, though I did re break it after falling onto it. I had surgery to repair it then. The surgery healed no faster imo.

[Arzny]

[SimonSays]

Oh wow! Ouch! I was lucky the skin didn’t break on mine. Thanks for sharing your experience.

I’m hoping it’ll heal up fairly quick so I can get back in the tack soon lol! The weather here just started being beautiful after a long cold icy winter.

[Jackie_Cochran]

I am so sorry this happened to you, especially right when the weather is improving.

May you heal up quickly and have to other problems with you knee.

[Arzny]

If your horse is trustworthy I’d get back on as soon as you’re not too sore to try. My doctor was fine with it, since it’s not a weight bearing bone. Just drop your stirrups low or go without.

[Annie10]

Wasn’t it McLain ward who had his knee cap broken in a big jumper class and they actually took all the pieces out since you really don’t need it? And then in a crazy short amount of time after he competed in the Olympics?

[SimonSays]

Oh wow! I’ll have to google that!

[Annie10]

The horse tried to run out and ran him onto the standard

[Annie10]

Update on McLain Ward’s Condition

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/updated-mclain-ward-breaks-leg-fall/

[SimonSays]

I had my follow up today. They put me in a hinged brace and I can bear weight as tolerated. Use crutches as needed. No forced or strenuous bending or exercise at this point. And then a follow up in 2 weeks again to see how I’m doing. If the knee is buckling, giving out or has acute pain I’m to call and go back to the full immobilizer. They’re hopeful the fracture will heal on its own. And we’re waiting the PCL ligament to make sure it’s ok too. He was happy that I can bear weight on it and walk ok and that I have decent range of motion bending back and forward.

So not bad news and hopefully I can avoid needing surgery. I was hoping to get 100% in the next couple weeks (wishful thinking I know) but it’ll be more of 10-12 weeks before real PT and take a few months to be all the way better.

[SillyHorse]

It sounds like you’re going to heal as quickly as you could hope. Wishing you a very speedy and complete recovery.

[SimonSays]

Yes the best of the bad news for sure! I’m hoping to be able to ride before 10-12 weeks on the well behaved ones. But we’ll see how I feel as I go along.