What to expect from tendon repair surgery for patellar tendon rupture

A patellar tendon rupture can interrupt the connection between the thigh muscle and the shinbone, making it difficult or impossible to straighten the knee normally. During repair, the surgeon brings the torn tendon ends together and may secure the tendon to the lower edge of the kneecap with strong sutures or fixation devices. The exact approach depends on the tear, tissue quality and other knee injuries.

The knee is usually supported in a brace after surgery. Early movement and weight-bearing instructions are deliberately limited so the repair can heal. Swelling, bruising, stiffness and discomfort are expected, but their pattern should gradually improve under the plan from your surgical team.

Use the brace, crutches and wound-care instructions exactly as prescribed. Keep the incision clean and dry as directed, elevate the leg when resting, and use recommended pain relief. Do not bend the knee farther than your rehabilitation plan allows, even if the swelling settles quickly. Physiotherapy commonly starts with safe muscle activation and controlled range-of-motion work, then progresses toward walking strength, balance and functional movements. Progress is based on healing and examination rather than a fixed timetable.

Contact your surgical team promptly if the wound becomes increasingly red, hot, swollen or painful, or if drainage, fever or an opening appears. Seek urgent care for sudden chest pain, severe breathlessness, or a new painful swelling in the calf. A sudden pop, new loss of the ability to straighten the knee, or a brace that no longer supports the leg also needs prompt assessment.

Ask which tendon structures were repaired, how long the brace and crutches are expected to be needed, and which knee-bending limit applies at each stage. Clarify how to manage the dressing, what pain or swelling changes should trigger a call, and when physiotherapy will begin. Before discharge, ask how to climb stairs safely and when driving, work, exercise and sport can be reconsidered.