Question: I have a comminuted fracture to my right patella. The immediate care doctor said I should probably have surgery since I am 36 and very active. She mentioned if I was 50 and sedentary that she would think to just leave it as is and heal. She also mentioned it didn't look like the tendons would have been affected. It felt very tight when I would bend it past a 90 degree angle 48 hours after the break. I was limping on it a bit, but not too much. There was little pain. The immediate site, the size of a quarter or so is very sensitive, and NOTHING else. For being very active and hitting the gym every day I can what can I expect, in general as far as treatment/ surgery and recovery? It was Friday night when I got the x-rays, it happened 48 hours prior from hitting a corner of a bed and tomorrow, Monday, I am going to call an orthopedic surgeon. So at this time it has been 96 hours since the accident and I am not one to sit on my but and am very active year round. What can I expect??? My knee has been immobilized since I found out via the x-rays two days ago.

So what does this mean in regards to surgery? I've read online, which I know can be great or horrible, depending on what you read and who posts, that these fragments are some times removed. What would be a common solution to my problem be (surgery?) and what would an average recovery time be to walking (not weight lifting), that is of course following all rehab to the letter? I was maxing out at 525 lbs. on the SEATED plate loaded squat machine just prior to this injury. If I supported my torso, could I bring my legs into the "L" position, or is that aggravating the condition? Again, other than very localized pain when touched, I can bend it to 90 degrees and it feels, "funny" when I walked on it prior to finding out it was broken. The semi repetitive question is due to being very active and having just spent the past weekend with my 6 year old daughter, hobbling around in crutches, this sedantary life style, though needed, is not me.