Quad / Patellar Tendon Repair — Quadriceps Tendon / Patellar Tendon Repair / Patellar Fracture ORIF

Sutter Health / Palo Alto Medical Foundation · Kevin Roth MD

Weight-Bearing

FWB with crutches in brace wks 1-8; FWB without crutches months 2+; brace locked 0° wks 1-6, gradual unlock wks 6-8

Key Restrictions

ROM wks 1-2 determined by intra-operative assessment; brace locked 0° wks 1-6; no WB in flexion >90° wks 2-8; brace unlock gradual wks 6-8 (0-45° wk 6, 0-60° wk 7, 0-90° wk 8); RTS months 3-6

Timeline & Phases

Wks 1-2: FWB with crutches, brace locked 0°, ROM per surgeon (intra-operative) — heel slides to permitted flexion, prone knee flexion, passive ext, quad sets, SLR, ankle exercises; Wks 2-4: FWB, brace locked 0°, ROM 0-60°, no WB in flex >90° — prone knee flexion, SLR, quad sets, side-lying hip/core/glut; Wks 4-6: FWB, brace locked 0°, ROM 0-90°, no WB in flex >90° — continue prone knee flexion, SLR, hip/core/glut; Wks 6-8: FWB, brace unlock gradually (0-45° wk 6 → 0-60° wk 7 → 0-90° wk 8), advance to full ROM — continue prone knee flexion, SLR, hip/core/glut; Months 2-3: FWB, no brace, full ROM — stationary bike, hamstring work, core/hip/glut, balance/proprioception, CKC; Months 3-6: FWB — advance functional activities, swimming, gradual RTS, home maintenance

Notes

Covers quad tendon repair, patellar tendon repair, and patellar fracture ORIF in one protocol; ROM wks 1-2 set by surgeon per intra-operative findings; no WB in flexion >90° wks 2-8; RTS months 3-6

Surgeon / Author

Kevin Roth MD

Published

2024