In most cases, a broken kneecap is caused by a direct blow to the front of the knee from a car accident, sports or a fall onto concrete.
Most kneecap fractures occur in people between the ages of 20 and 50.
Symptoms may include:
- Severe pain in and around the kneecap
- Swelling
- Pain when moving the knee in both directions
- Difficulty extending the leg or doing a straight-leg raise
- A deformed appearance of the knee due to the fractured pieces
- Tenderness when pressing on the kneecap