Q: I am a 35 years old man who slipped at home and hurt my left kneecap 3 months back. After an x-ray the doctor confirmed multiple hairline fractures in the patella. The doctor has given me a full fibre plaster cast in the left leg (waist to foot), which will be on for 4 weeks. Then he removed the cast on the 28th day and gave a knee brace to wear for 2-3 weeks. I started walking and did physiotherapy at home with certain exercises. Now after 3 months the doctor has confirmed that I have recovered and I am fine now after taking the x-ray. But I am limping and still feel pain in my leg at the site of injury and have uneasiness in walking up the staircase. How can I recover form this pain? Please advise.

A:Fracture patella is a common injury and an undisplaced fracture can be managed without surgery (as it looks in your case). Putting the limb in a cast particularly after an injury has its downside of stiffness and weakness. You need good physiotherapy to come out of it. Take a pain killer if you have to but do the exercises to enhance knee bending and knee strength. The recovery should be near complete if not complete.

All of us vary in the extent of time and effort required for rehabilitation. Trust your orthopaedic surgeon, he has been fair to you.