The Capital Orthopaedics team in London is renowned for its expertise in diagnosing and treating all knee conditions.
Led by consultant surgeon Simon Moyes, our orthopaedic surgeons, in-house radiologists, physiotherapists and sports medicine professionals are dedicated to getting your knee problems resolved with minimal intervention with the fastest and most effective recovery programmes.
In a knee fracture, one or more bones in your knee joint can be broken or cracked, leading to pain, swelling, stiffness and ongoing knee problems.
Capital Orthopaedics offers fast-track diagnosis using state-of-the-art scanning equipment, and treatment with the very latest in injection therapies, highly trained physiotherapists and pioneering surgical techniques.
To book an appointment in one of our three central London locations, contact us here.
There are four bones that make up your knee joint. The upper leg bone (femur), lower leg bones (tibia and fibula) and the kneecap (patella). Any of these bones can be broken, which can get fractured as a result of a direct impact, or forceful twisting.
Knee fractures often occur along with damage to the soft tissues in your knee, including the shock-absorbing meniscus pads and supporting ligaments and tendons.
For this reason, it’s important to get a thorough diagnosis from a knee specialist, including x-rays, CT scans, MRI and ultrasound scans, as well as a detailed physical exam.
Symptoms may include:
• Pain, swelling, bruising immediately after an injury
• Unable to weight bear
• Difficulty bending or straightening your knee
• Tenderness when pressing your kneecap
• Grating or catching feeling
• Muscle spasms
• Distorted knee joint
The bones in your knee joint can be broken as a result of a direct blow to the knee such as a heavy fall, a severe twisting injury or during contact sports. Occasionally in major traumatic events such as a car or motorbike accident.
After a physical examination with one of our consultant surgeons, an x-ray or CT scan is used to diagnose and assess the extent of the fracture and which bones have been affected.
You may also be given an MRI or ultrasound scan to review any associated soft tissue damage.
If the bones have not been displaced, you may be given a non-weight-bearing cast to hold the bones in position while they heal. This may take 4-6 weeks.
After this, our expert physiotherapists will help you to regain full range of movement and strength.
A severely damaged, shattered or displaced fracture almost always requires surgery.
During surgery, carefully place incisions are made to access your fractured bones and they are reconstructed using plates and screws. Any associated soft tissue damage such as torn ligaments or meniscus will also be repaired. Sometimes these operations need to be carried out in stages.
For less severe fractures that have been repaired, you may only need to wear a brace for three to six days after surgery, and physiotherapy to restore mobility and strength will start almost immediately.
However, if the damage is more serious, you may need to be immobilised in a brace for six to 12 weeks.
If you have any knee pain, swelling and instability – especially after a traumatic injury to your knee – you should seek medical advice immediately.
The Capital Orthopaedics team are highly experienced in diagnosing and treating all knee conditions, including fractures.
To book an appointment, contact Simon Moyes and the Capital Orthopaedics team here.
Cartilage Damage – tears in the smooth cartilage that coats the bones in your knee joint. This can be the result of wear and tear over time, repeated impact in sports, or a traumatic injury, and causes pain, swelling and stiffness in your knee joint. Our team can treat cartilage damage with physiotherapy, injection therapy or surgery to smooth and trim the cartilage.
Meniscus Tear – the c-shaped rubbery pads that provide shock absorption in your knee can get torn as a result of an impact or a forceful twisting action or overuse injuries. We treat meniscus tears with physiotherapy and injection therapy where possible, and perform keyhole surgery to repair or remove parts of the menisci in more serious cases.
Tendonitis – the tendons that attach your leg muscles to the bones of your knee joint can get damaged as a result of an injury – leading to pain, swelling, instability and other knee problems. The specialist team at Capital Orthopaedics will provide an accurate diagnosis and offer targeted treatment plans including physiotherapy or surgery.
Knee Arthritis – osteoarthritis is the degeneration of the bones in your joints. This can be the result of wear and tear, overuse injuries or an old injury. If diagnosed early enough, physiotherapy and injection therapies can be effective treatments. Our surgeons are highly experienced in minimally invasive surgical techniques to remove damaged bone, smooth cartilage or replace damaged parts of your knee joint.
Anterior Knee Pain – any pain on the front of your knee should be diagnosed at the earliest opportunity. We offer the latest in high-tech scanning equipment and have a team of highly experienced orthopaedic surgeons and sports medicine professionals to ensure that you get the right treatment and back to full strength in the quickest time possible.
ACL Tear – the anterior cruciate ligament is one of five strong cords that stabilise your knee joint. It is commonly stretched or torn in sudden twisting movements, leading to pain, swelling, reduced range of motion and instability. These tears can be treated with physiotherapy.
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