A knee bruise is a serious injury, to which many people are rather dismissive. Because of this, the consequences can be sad. From an unsuccessful fall, you can stop walking or suffer from severe pain. That is why it is impossible to let this disease on its own. Unfortunately, there is no effective prevention of the described trauma. Therefore, in order to prevent unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to avoid falls. If they did appear, then you need to see a doctor in a timely manner.
In the article, we consider diagnostic measures, treatment rules (conservative and alternative methods), as well as the consequences that may arise if therapy is not followed. It must be remembered that a bruise can lead to severe complications that are much more difficult to treat.
Injury description
A knee injury is an injury that is considered closed. It is characterized by the absence of problems with intraarticular structures. The disease can occur in patients of any age and gender. At risk are children and those people who lead an active lifestyle. Injuries always occur if a person falls, or when struck by a heavy object.
Most often, this is a household damage. Moreover, more injured among adults in winter, due to the presence of ice. If we are talking about injuries in children, then the problems are most often observed during the summer holidays. A knee injury may not be an isolated lesion that appears along with a chest injury, a fracture of the pelvis, spine, and so on. In order to conduct treatment, you need to contact a traumatologist.
Why is injury dangerous?
When a person strikes joints and muscles, then negative factors act on them. Because of this, a heavy load can occur. In order to understand how serious the consequences can be, it is necessary to pay attention to those processes that occur with a bruise. The harder a person hits, the higher the risk of complications.
Most often, with a fall, the muscles relax. The response will be a spasm. Even with the fact that soft tissues are quickly restored, painful sensations will persist for several days. Cartilaginous tissue can suffer greatly, which takes almost the entire blow. If it is deformed, then problems with physical activity begin. Therefore, it is important to start treatment for knee injury on time.
Complications on impact
Given that there are few soft tissues in the knee, most of the time the main load is on the bones. Because of this, microcracks may appear, respectively, inflammation will begin. If we are talking about a strong bruise, then the ligaments are able to break apart partially or completely. Therefore, it is important to comply with all requirements in the treatment of knee injury. If dropped, severe injury may result. The affected area will hurt to such an extent that raising or lowering the leg will become difficult. In severe cases, rupture of blood vessels may occur, due to which hemorrhage in the joint is observed. If we are talking about a weak blow, then little blood is poured, not more than 30 ml. However, this indicator can sometimes increase to 100 ml.
Diagnostic measures
If a knee bruise appeared during a fall, then you need to pay attention to the symptoms. With a non-serious problem, the pain will pass quite quickly. However, sometimes patients notice that the condition of the injured area either begins to deteriorate, or the symptoms even after a week remain unchanged. You need to go to a traumatologist or orthopedist if the hematoma has not resolved, the pain does not go away, and there is severe swelling that does not go away within a day. That is why it is important to start treatment for a knee injury right away. When falling, tears of tissues and ligaments could occur.
Also an alarming symptom is that the knee is difficult to bend and unbend. At the reception, the doctor should examine the place where the blow fell, to clarify the causes of injury. This is necessary in order to understand how severe the damage can be. When diagnosing, the main thing is to examine the entire injury. This will eliminate the development of serious problems. It should be noted that soft tissue bruises and cartilage troubles have the same symptoms as meniscus injuries.
Tangent strike
You should pay attention to the fact that if the blow fell on a tangent, then the anterior region of the knee can be severely damaged. Cartilage will usually remain unharmed. In order to accurately make the correct diagnosis, it is necessary to carry out arthroscopy, do an ultrasound scan, as well as computed tomography. Thanks to such studies, you can find out the full picture inside the joint, understand the state of muscles and confirm or refute information about injuries of the ligamentous apparatus. The following describes how to treat a knee injury at home.
First aid
Not every person has the opportunity to see a doctor. That is why you need to know what to do as first aid. You should sit or lie down, put your foot on a surface that will be above body level. If the injury occurred on the street with a passerby or relative, then it is necessary to move the victim and put a tire on his leg. You can use a book, a stick, a board and so on. Thus, you need to use any improvised items. Limb should be immobilized so as to prevent injury complications.
The same should be done if a person is treating a knee injury at home. The tire should be bandaged above and below the knee, it does not cost anything to put on the injured area. It is impossible to compress the damaged area, as this will result in poor blood circulation, increased swelling, and with a dislocation or a fracture, such a dressing can cause complications.
It should be noted that displacement with other injuries is rather difficult to cure. Be sure to attach something cold. It can be ice, frozen foods, water from the freezer, and so on. Cool the problem area only through the fabric. Otherwise, it can be very cold. At the same time, it is necessary to impose cold substances on not only the bruised area, but also the places around it. Thus, it will prevent the development of puffiness. Painkillers can be used if too severe pain is observed with severe bruising.
Means and next steps
It is necessary to use such tablets as “Nurofen”, “Pentalgin” and others. You should carefully read the instructions to them in order to understand at what interval and what dose is allowed to drink. If we are talking about severe pain, then you can drink a few tablets.
The bruised place must be lubricated with gel or ointment, which will allow the hematoma to resolve, improve blood circulation and relieve swelling. They will allow for effective treatment of knee injury at home. However, before using the drugs, you should definitely read the instructions. It will help to understand whether this gel can be used for abrasions or scratches.
If the knee was scratched during the fall, then hydrogen peroxide can be used. Next, you need to apply the “Rescuer” balm. This tool can be used even with open wounds.
After the first aid was provided, it is necessary to assess the condition of the victim. If the above methods did not ease the torment, then you need to call an ambulance. Before the arrival of doctors, you should relax a person by giving him a sedative or pain medication.
Home Injury Treatment
If the patient went to the doctor, then he was most likely prescribed ointments, creams that allow hematomas to resolve and relieve pain. The damaged area should be lubricated about 5-6 times a day. In this case, you should act as gently as possible and not put pressure on the injury. A knee injury is treated at home if there is no serious damage in the form of a meniscus rupture. The patient must fully adhere to the methods prescribed by the doctor and follow the rules of behavior.
It is imperative that peace of the problem area be ensured until complete recovery. You can also apply homemade formulations that allow soft tissues to heal quickly. They also prevent inflammation of the joints and cartilage. The main thing is to use recipes only for those products that delicately affect tissues with edema. Given that many such recommendations are made on the basis of natural remedies, then allergic reactions appear much less often. The main thing is to follow the recipe correctly, then you can forget about bruises and pains, even if the question arises: "Knee bruised: what to do?"
Recipes from chamomile, plantain and cabbage
- You can use a compress of chamomile and calendula. This tool will help against puffiness, and also relieve inflammation. Infusion should be prepared from 0.5 liters of boiling water, into which you need to add a spoonful of a mixture of herbs. After 45 minutes, wait until the mixture is infused, then strain. With this herbal decoction, you need to moisten the gauze and apply to the bruise.
- Good gruel from plantain. Use a few leaves of the plant. They need to be soaked and chopped. Then apply to the bruised area. If a knee injury occurred in nature, then it is necessary to wrap the damaged area with leaves. The pain will gradually begin to subside, swelling will decrease.
- Cabbage leaf will also help with injury. The thickened area should be removed and carefully applied to the swollen area. Next should be bandaged. However, it is impossible to press hard. Every hour you need to replace the dried sheet.
Additional folk methods
- With a severe knee injury, a compress with apple cider vinegar will help. It is necessary to take olive oil, to which add boiled water. Next, use a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. It is necessary to take the flannel fabric, lower it into the liquid and attach to the sore spot. Next, the knee must be wrapped in cellophane, covered with a towel and fixed. After 4 hours, the product should be washed off.
- Aloe juice is also a great help. This is a fairly simple recipe that will allow you to get rid of pain, swelling and bruising. Thanks to him, you can relieve inflammation. Many housewives have aloe vera. You need to take a thick leaf, cut it and lubricate it with a painful area about 4 times a day. In this case, it is not necessary to cover the knee. In order to enhance the effect, you can add thick honey, keep it for 30-40 minutes, then rinse off your feet.
- Many prepare homemade ointment. You need to take 3 tablespoons of birch tar, the same amount of spruce resin and unsalted lard. These components should be combined in a blender, and after a day they can already be used. This tool should be applied twice a day and lubricate not only the sore spot, but also the areas around it.
Effects
If neglected, the treatment of a bruise can cause quite serious complications. The fluid in the joint can accumulate, rupture or stretch ligaments, often there is a dislocation or fracture of the patella. Prepatellar bursitis may also occur . Other types of complications are also common, so if such an injury occurs, you should immediately contact a specialist in order to prevent pathological processes.