Patellar Fracture Rehabilitation

Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do these exercises, but you should stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse. Do not begin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Stretching and range of motion exercise

This exercise warms up your muscles and joints and improves the movement and flexibility of your knee.

Exercise A: Heel slide

1. Lie on your back with both legs straight. If this causes back discomfort, bend your __________ knee so your foot is flat on the floor.
2. Slowly slide the heel of your __________ leg back toward your buttocks. Stop when you feel a gentle stretch in the front of your knee or thigh, or when your knee is at a __________ degree angle.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly slide your ___________ heel back to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance around your knee. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired. If told by your health care provider, wear your splint while you do these exercises.

Exercise B: Quadriceps, isometric

1. Lie on your back with your __________ leg extended and your other knee bent. Put a towel or small pillow under your __________ knee if told by your health care provider.
2. Slowly tense the thigh muscles of your extended leg. When you do this, you should see your kneecap slide up toward your hip or see increased dimpling just above your knee. This motion will push the back of your knee down toward the floor and into the towel or pillow.
3. For __________ seconds, keep the muscle as tight as you can without increasing your pain. Do not let your foot lift off of the floor.
4. Relax the muscles slowly and completely.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise C: Straight leg raises (quadriceps)

1. Lie on your back with your __________ leg extended and the knee of your other leg bent.
2. Slowly tense the thigh muscles of your extended leg. When you do this, you should see your kneecap slide up or see increased dimpling just above the knee.
3. Keep these muscles tight as you raise your leg 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) off the floor.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Keep these muscles tense as you lower your leg.
6. Relax your muscles slowly and completely.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise D: Hamstring, isometric

1. Lie on your back on a firm surface.
2. Bend your __________ knee about__________ degrees.
3. Dig your __________ heel into the surface as if you are trying to pull it toward your buttocks. Tighten the muscles in the back of your thighs to “dig” as hard as you can without increasing any pain.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Release the tension gradually and allow your muscles to relax completely for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise E: Straight leg raises (hip abductors)

1. Lie on your side with your __________ leg in the top position. Lie so your head, shoulder, knee, and hip line up. You may bend your bottom knee to help you keep your balance.
2. Roll your hips slightly forward so your hips are stacked directly over each other and your __________ knee is facing forward.
3. Leading with your heel, lift your top leg 4–6 inches (10–15 cm).
   1. Do not let your foot drift forward.
   1. Do not let your knee roll toward the ceiling.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds. You should feel the muscles in your outer hip lifting, but you may not notice this until your leg begins to tire.
5. Slowly lower your leg to the starting position.
6. Let your muscles relax completely.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise F: Standing heel raise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your weight spread evenly over the width of your feet as you rise up on your toes. Use a wall or table to steady yourself, but try not to use it for support.
3. If this exercise is too easy, shift your weight toward your __________ leg until you feel challenged.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly lower yourself to the starting position.

Repeat exercise __________ times, __________ times a day.

Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do these exercises, but you should stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse. Do not begin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Stretching and range of motion exercise

This exercise warms up your muscles and joints and improves the movement and flexibility of your knee.

Exercise A: Heel slide

1. Lie on your back with both legs straight. If this causes back discomfort, bend your __________ knee so your foot is flat on the floor.
2. Slowly slide the heel of your __________ leg back toward your buttocks. Stop when you feel a gentle stretch in the front of your knee or thigh, or when your knee is at a __________ degree angle.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly slide your ___________ heel back to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance around your knee. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired. If told by your health care provider, wear your splint while you do these exercises.

Exercise B: Quadriceps, isometric

1. Lie on your back with your __________ leg extended and your other knee bent. Put a towel or small pillow under your __________ knee if told by your health care provider.
2. Slowly tense the thigh muscles of your extended leg. When you do this, you should see your kneecap slide up toward your hip or see increased dimpling just above your knee. This motion will push the back of your knee down toward the floor and into the towel or pillow.
3. For __________ seconds, keep the muscle as tight as you can without increasing your pain. Do not let your foot lift off of the floor.
4. Relax the muscles slowly and completely.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise C: Straight leg raises (quadriceps)

1. Lie on your back with your __________ leg extended and the knee of your other leg bent.
2. Slowly tense the thigh muscles of your extended leg. When you do this, you should see your kneecap slide up or see increased dimpling just above the knee.
3. Keep these muscles tight as you raise your leg 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) off the floor.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Keep these muscles tense as you lower your leg.
6. Relax your muscles slowly and completely.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise D: Hamstring, isometric

1. Lie on your back on a firm surface.
2. Bend your __________ knee about__________ degrees.
3. Dig your __________ heel into the surface as if you are trying to pull it toward your buttocks. Tighten the muscles in the back of your thighs to “dig” as hard as you can without increasing any pain.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Release the tension gradually and allow your muscles to relax completely for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise E: Straight leg raises (hip abductors)

1. Lie on your side with your __________ leg in the top position. Lie so your head, shoulder, knee, and hip line up. You may bend your bottom knee to help you keep your balance.
2. Roll your hips slightly forward so your hips are stacked directly over each other and your __________ knee is facing forward.
3. Leading with your heel, lift your top leg 4–6 inches (10–15 cm).
   1. Do not let your foot drift forward.
   1. Do not let your knee roll toward the ceiling.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds. You should feel the muscles in your outer hip lifting, but you may not notice this until your leg begins to tire.
5. Slowly lower your leg to the starting position.
6. Let your muscles relax completely.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise F: Standing heel raise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your weight spread evenly over the width of your feet as you rise up on your toes. Use a wall or table to steady yourself, but try not to use it for support.
3. If this exercise is too easy, shift your weight toward your __________ leg until you feel challenged.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly lower yourself to the starting position.

Repeat exercise __________ times, __________ times a day.