What to do with a knee injury? Severe bruising of the patella during a fall treatment at home

Knee contusion is a common injury resulting from a blow or fall. With severe injury, quite serious consequences can develop. Therefore, it is worth learning to recognize the symptoms characteristic of bruises and understand how to treat a bruised knee.

A knee bruise during a fall is damage to the soft tissues, without violating the integrity of the bone. You can injure your knee when you fall, as a result of an accident, during sports training, etc.

As a rule, a bruise can be accompanied by:

Puffiness, change in the size of the joint and disorder of its functionality.
Accumulation of synovial fluid in the joint cavity. This is how a characteristic swelling occurs after a bruise, the appearance of which is due to increased synthesis of joint fluid in the region of the inner shell. To eliminate the tumor, you will need to apply a bandage, cold compresses and other therapeutic measures.
Vascular damage - a traumatic factor affects the walls of blood vessels, which leads to their rupture. As a result, the victim develops extensive hematomas and internal hemorrhages, which is fraught with hemarthrosis - accumulation of blood in the cavity.

In general, according to traumatologists, with a knee bruise, patients show the following characteristic symptoms:

Pain in the knee - quite intense and sharp at the time of injury;
Violation of motor activity and normal functioning of the joint;
Hematomas and subcutaneous hemorrhages;
Swelling, enlargement of the knee joint;
Redness of the skin in the area of damage.

Severe bruising of the knee is accompanied by a pronounced pain syndrome, articular deformity. The victim has swelling of the knee, provoked by synovitis or hemarthrosis.

In most cases, with competently provided first aid, the symptoms of a bruise disappear or at least noticeably decrease throughout the day, however, when this does not happen, it is imperative to contact the trauma department to see a doctor!

What is the danger?

The knee is a rather vulnerable area, most prone to various kinds of injuries. Unfortunately, the lack of timely assistance in case of a bruise or illiterate actions lead to various severe complications and impaired articular functions.

Anterior view of a knee injury

Traumatologists identify the following most common consequences of a knee injury:

cracks;
fracture;
Meniscus tears;
Twisting of the knee ligament;
Atrophy of muscle groups of the lower limb;
The development of inflammatory processes;
tendon rupture;
Internal hemorrhages;

Such complications require mandatory, timely medical care, otherwise the results can be the most deplorable, up to the patient's disability. Therefore, if the knee is very swollen and sore, and motor activity is significantly impaired, you should immediately seek advice from a qualified specialist.

How to help the victim?

What to do in case of injury? This question often arises in people who are faced with this kind of traumatic injury. First aid for a knee injury is based on the elimination of painful symptoms and the prevention of possible complications.

First of all, the injured limb must be given maximum rest. For these purposes, a fixing bandage is applied to the knee (it is best to use an elastic bandage, but any other available materials will do).

To reduce swelling, it is important to ensure the outflow of blood from the damaged joint. Therefore, it is recommended to raise the victim's leg a little, put it on a slight elevation.

In addition, a cold compress, a heating pad with ice should be applied to the bruised joint. Moreover, it is desirable to carry out this manipulation within 15 minutes after the injury. Otherwise, the knee can become very swollen and it will have to be dealt with with the help of medications and physiotherapy methods.

With a pronounced pain syndrome, you can give the victim an anesthetic. Sometimes bruises are accompanied by damage to the integrity of the skin. In such cases, it is necessary to stop the bleeding, treat the wound surface with an antiseptic solution in order to prevent the development of infectious processes, and then apply a bandage.

Treatment Methods

What to do with a knee injury? If the condition of the victim remains severe enough and the painful symptoms do not go away, or there are clinical signs characteristic of fractures and other serious injuries, the patient should be taken to a medical facility as soon as possible for diagnosis.

How to treat a bruise, the attending physician will tell, depending on the results obtained and the characteristics of a particular clinical case. As a rule, this type of traumatic injury does not require any special treatment. It is enough for the patient to temporarily limit the load on the injured joint, as a rule, a bandage is applied for this purpose.

The bruised place in the first days can hurt, so patients are often prescribed analgesics, warming ointments, which have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Heparin ointment gives a good effect, the action of which is aimed at resorption of the tumor and elimination of blood accumulation in the joint cavity.

For the speedy restoration of cartilage tissue, chondroprotectors are used. In more severe cases, corticosteroids, antibiotic drugs are prescribed, which should be taken only as directed by a doctor, strictly following the recommended dosage. If a fracture or fracture of the bone is found in the victim during the X-ray, then a plaster is applied.

In the case of severe hemarthrosis, the doctor punctures the joint, removing accumulated blood from it. In general, home treatment involves maintaining rest, taking vitamin and mineral complexes for general strengthening of the body, and applying compresses.

Folk recipes

You can eliminate the painful symptoms of a bruise and speed up the process of tissue regeneration using traditional medicine:

Cabbage compress is great for swelling and bruising. It is enough just to knead a cabbage leaf a little, put it on the area of the knee joint and fix it with a bandage. It is best to do such procedures in the evening, before going to bed.
Cottage cheese compress - relieves swelling and stops inflammation, helps to eliminate pain. To achieve such results, you just need to put cottage cheese on the damaged area, cover it with plastic wrap, fix it with a bandage or adhesive plaster. The optimal exposure time is about half an hour.
Bodyagi-based compress - effective for extensive hematomas and subcutaneous hemorrhages. To prepare it, crushed bodyaga into a powder is diluted with warm water until a mushy consistency is obtained. The resulting mixture is applied to the site of injury and left for half an hour. It is recommended to do such compresses daily.

In case of manifested hemarthrosis, compresses prepared from white lily alcohol infusion will be very effective.

The use of the listed folk recipes is contraindicated in case of violations of the integrity of the skin, open wound surfaces.

Treatment of a knee injury at home consists in the use of medicines and folk remedies prescribed by the doctor. The most important thing for a successful recovery is to provide the injured limb with complete rest, minimizing any physical activity. During the rehabilitation period, it is recommended to practice massage and therapeutic exercises.

A bruised knee is an insidious injury, as most people tend to dismiss it. Meanwhile, the consequences of a knee injury can be quite serious. A person may even stop walking or suffer from severe joint pain all his life, so you should not let everything take its course.

Unfortunately, no one has come up with the prevention of bruises yet. But you can prevent the unpleasant consequences of a knee injury by contacting a doctor in a timely manner.

Causes and symptoms of a knee injury

In children, a bruised knee often occurs due to excessive activity. As a rule, the injury occurs as a result of a fall on one knee, or when a person hits his knee hard on an object. It happens that the knee joint is damaged even after an ordinary run.

Many fell in the winter during the period of ice. Most often, such a fall damages the elbow and knee joints. Often, a knee bruise can occur when the lower leg is excessively deviated to the side. However, such a bruise is often accompanied by a rupture of the ligaments. As a rule, this is a fairly common injury among people involved in sports (football, acrobatics, etc.).

The very first symptom of a knee bruise is the appearance of a sharp pain in the bruised area, which can sometimes become very severe. There is swelling in the knee area and a specific discoloration of the skin (hematoma). Such a symptom of a knee injury as swelling is a consequence of the formation of a hemorrhage in the joint (hemarthrosis), resulting from its damage. At the same time, the victim cannot freely move the injured limb, as he experiences severe pain at the slightest movement. Sometimes, due to a severe bruise of the knee due to pain shock, even loss of consciousness can occur.

First aid for a knee injury

The victim of a knee injury needs first aid, which is as follows:

Ensuring maximum protection of the affected joint, the complete absence of stress on the diseased limb.
The use of cold procedures that cause vasospasm, which significantly reduces the scale of internal hemorrhage. It is very important to stop the growth of hemarthrosis, since the hematoma compresses the nerve endings and causes severe pain in the victim.
Call an ambulance, and before the arrival of doctors, it is necessary to raise the bruised leg as high as possible in order to reduce blood flow.

Properly rendered first aid significantly affects the further effectiveness of treatment and is an excellent prevention from the undesirable consequences of a knee injury.

Knee injury treatment

Any knee injury requires adequate treatment. If the victim has severe pain, then the doctor produces anesthesia with the help of various medications. As a rule, the treatment of a knee injury involves the use of anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs, such as Ketanov, Analgin, Diclofenac, etc.

An ointment for bruises can have a good effect in healing a bruise. To reduce pain and relieve swelling, the doctor may prescribe a puncture of the knee joint to the patient in order to suck out the accumulated blood. After that, a fixing bandage is applied to the bruised place, which limits unnecessary movements and keeps the damaged area in constant heat.

In the first days after the injury, the patient is advised not to make sudden movements, but to remain as calm as possible so that the knee joint can recover faster. As a rule, with a knee injury, rehabilitation is quite lengthy, since it is not possible to completely immobilize the affected knee. During the rehabilitation period, it is important for the patient to comply with medical and physiotherapeutic procedures. Excellent at this stage, various ointments help, which contain analgesic and anti-inflammatory substances: Lioton, Fastum gel, Artroactive, etc. Often, chondroprotective drugs, such as Collagen Ultra cream or gel, are used to quickly heal a knee injury.

Traditional medicine can also provide good help in the treatment of the knee joint. You can use an ointment based on pork fat with the addition of plantain leaves or an ointment based on cinquefoil. As a rule, it takes 3-4 weeks for the knee joint to fully recover. In more severe cases, the recovery time is significantly increased.

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A knee injury is a very common injury in children and adults. With timely first aid and proper treatment, recovery occurs quickly and without consequences. The knee is one of the most complex joints in the body. As a result of a blow against a solid object, during jumps, collisions, falls, both the joint capsule and the inner part - the menisci and internal ligaments, cartilaginous surfaces of the bone are injured. The ligaments of the meniscus are especially tender and vulnerable. With a strong impact, as a rule, their partial rupture occurs. Knee bruising also occurs when the joint is dislocated or subluxated.

Symptoms

Bruising must be distinguished from dislocation, fracture and rupture of ligaments. In severe cases, you need to see a doctor, take an x-ray and get surgical help. A severe bruised knee may require surgical interventions: punctures, injections into the joint, the use of potent drugs. When a joint is injured, the following symptoms appear.

You can distinguish a bruise from more serious injuries by the following signs:

the fracture is characterized by limitation of voluntary movements, severe pain, very severe swelling. When the patella is fractured, its unnatural shape may be visible;
dislocation - violation of the outlines of the knee, low mobility of the joint. Often with bruises, the kneecap is displaced. the leg can be twisted at an uncharacteristic angle;
with a partial rupture of the ligaments, the picture is no different from a severe bruise. A medical examination and diagnosis will be required. The treatment is almost the same, only the rehabilitation period will be lengthened.

To exclude a fracture, dislocation, rupture of the ligaments, it is necessary to take an x-ray of the joint. Before contacting a doctor, the victim must be given first aid.

First aid

If there was a knee injury, what should I do first?

All of these measures help to relieve a bruised knee. Treatment can be started before contacting a doctor by applying Troxevasin ointment to the joint. It has a mild analgesic effect and reduces tissue swelling.

Knee injury: treatment

The tactics of the events are as follows:

Immobilization.
Dissolving agents.
Anti-inflammatory drugs.

The first 24 hours after injury, the joint must be cooled. Then apply warming ointments, compresses, physiotherapy.

immobilization

The first two or three days you need complete rest. The lower the load on the joint, the faster the healing process will go. Rehabilitation even with a mild injury will take 2-3 weeks. At first, it is better to use a regular bandage for a bandage, then you can switch to an elastic or knee caliper.

The knee joint is bandaged, starting from the upper third of the lower leg and gradually rising to the lower third of the thigh. Fix the limb in a comfortable half-bent position.

Ointments for joints

An effective method of how to treat a bruised knee is the topical application of medicines in the form of ointments and compresses. Conventionally, all pharmacy ointments can be divided into several groups:

improving microcirculation in tissues: "Troxevasin", "Traumeel". These drugs can be used immediately after injury and throughout the recovery period;
anti-inflammatory: "Indomethacin", "Diclofenac", "Diklak", "Ketonal";
warming: "Fastum gel", "Camphor ointment", "Analgos", "Apizartron", "Viprosal", "Finalgon". It is not recommended to use them during acute edema;

complex ointments containing several components. For example, "Indovazin". It contains indomethacin and troxevasin.

Folk remedies

There are several simple folk recipes that can be used as an addition to treatment:

an alcohol-drying compress will cool the knee, reduce pain and swelling. Gauze or bandage is moistened with vodka or diluted alcohol and applied to the site of injury until the compress dries;
dressing with vinegar: mix one tablespoon of 9% vinegar, water and vegetable oil. The mixture is applied to the tissue, applied to the joint, covered with plastic wrap and bandaged;
iodine mesh: “paint” the knee with an alcohol solution of iodine, draw the strips at a distance of about 1 cm. Apply a day after the injury. Iodine has a weakly irritating and anti-inflammatory effect.

If you are relaxing in nature and a knee injury has occurred, treatment in the field can be started with herbs:

a fresh leaf of burdock is moistened with water and applied for several hours;
chopped fresh wormwood will soothe pain and relieve swelling;
plantain leaves are crushed and an ointment of a creamy consistency is made on pork fat;
grate the core of a zucchini or cucumber, wrap the knee with this gruel.

Physiotherapy at home

So, you've got a bruised knee. What to do to speed up recovery? At home, you can conduct a course of physiotherapy with paraffin. To do this, melt a few ordinary candles without additives and flavors. Apply the plastic mass to the knee area, the temperature should be pleasantly hot. The frozen paraffin is wrapped in a dense cloth and the joint is heated until the mass cools. The procedure is carried out daily, the mixture can be used repeatedly.

It is useful to do massage and self-massage of the knee. If there are any devices for physiotherapy at home (ultrasound, magnet, infrared radiation), then you can use them to warm up the knee in accordance with the instructions.

medical intervention

A knee injury may require surgery and other medical procedures:

Puncture - puncture of the statutory bag and suction of the accumulated fluid.
Appointment of injections into the joint of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: analgin, voltaren, indomethacin.
UHF - therapy, electrophoresis.

If you have injured your knee, apply a cold compress with ice to it for 20-30 minutes, then tightly bandage the joint. To rule out serious damage, it is better to consult a doctor. The specialist will conduct the necessary diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment. In any case, observe bed rest and use warming and anti-inflammatory ointments. Remember that the knee is a very complex and vulnerable joint, so poorly treated injuries can subsequently be complicated by various diseases.

The knee joints are quite complex in functionality, but anatomically weak. They constantly have to withstand heavy loads, therefore they are prone to injury and destruction. Pain in the knee when bending is the most common reason why people turn to traumatologists.

Pain scares any person, especially if they are accompanied by the inability to bend the joint. Knee pain when bending can be caused by two causes: injury or a degenerative inflammatory disease. By the nature of pain and additional signs, you can already navigate before visiting a specialist.

Causes of pain in the knee joint

In the knee joint, large bones are connected: the femur and tibia. They are held together by tendons, ligaments and muscles. Responsible for mobility and protect the entire meniscus system (cartilage). If your knees hurt when bending, the cause may be:

trauma to ligaments, tendons, meniscus, bones after a fall, impact or unnatural position;
rheumatoid or gouty arthritis;
arthrosis;
tendinitis;
bursitis;
Baker's cyst;
"free body"

Most often, knee injuries are caused by adolescent boys while playing sports. In addition to the fact that the knees hurt when bent, there is swelling, hematoma, sensations of numbness, cold, tingling. Physicians call this phenomenon Osgood-Schlatter disease. Pain can last a month or even longer.

The second common injury is displacement of the patella. This damage is determined visually, subsequently the displacement may be repeated several times. The only way out is exercises to strengthen the muscles located next to the knee joint.

Elderly people often experience pain in the knee when flexing, along with a feeling of stiffness, decreased mobility, swelling, and an increase in local temperature. These symptoms indicate the development of rheumatoid arthritis, which entails erosive changes. The first sign of this disease is stiffness in the morning. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs due to a genetic predisposition or ingestion of a T-cell virus, a retrovirus. Epstein-Barr virus.

Gouty arthritis is characterized by high levels of uric acid in the body. Pain in the knee when bending in this disease is acute, can last from 5 to 7 days. If not treated in time, gouty arthritis becomes chronic, when the pain is less intense, but mobility decreases.

Osteoarthritis occurs as a result of posture disorders, curvature of the legs or injury. When bending, not only the knees hurt, but also the thigh or lower leg. Discomfort may be accompanied by a crunch. If untreated, the joint is deformed, its mobility is limited.

Tendenitis is inflammation of the ligaments. Most often, this disease occurs in athletes, manifested by pain when squatting or running. Bursitis is called inflammation in the joint bag after an injury or ingestion of harmful microorganisms. The knee hurts when bending, redness and swelling appear.

Baker's cyst - a neoplasm of fluid under the knee joint, caused by a hernia, rupture of the meniscus or capsule. Medical assistance is required immediately. The same applies to the "free body" - a piece of bone or cartilage that has broken off and is moving, periodically falling between moving parts. The knees not only hurt when bent, they are difficult to bend and straighten.

Diagnosis and treatment

For accurate diagnosis, the patient's story about the sensations and localization of pain is very important. After a visual examination, an X-ray is prescribed. If the bones are fine, magnetic resonance imaging is needed to determine the condition of the ligaments. If it is difficult to determine the cause of the disease, arthroscopy can be performed - examination of the joint through a microscopic video camera inserted into it.

Regardless of why the knees hurt when bending, treatment begins with removing the load from the joint area. In severe cases, the doctor may prescribe bed rest and the use of walking sticks or crutches. Orthopedic insoles can also be used.

The goal of conservative medical treatment is to eliminate pain and stop the progress of the disease. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. With gouty arthritis, it is necessary, first of all, to remove excess uric acid from the body, therefore drugs are prescribed that can inhibit its synthesis.

With sprains (tendenitis), the knee joint is bandaged, a cold compress can be applied. Of the medicines, non-steroidal inflammatory drugs are prescribed. For the treatment of bursitis, an integrated approach is needed - medicines in combination with physiotherapy. A puncture may be performed to remove excess exudate. For bursitis, artificial synovial fluid may be injected into the joint.

If the knee hurts during extension, a good effect can be obtained from the use of various compresses, applications of ointments, gels, aerosols on the affected area. They increase the effect of anti-inflammatory drugs. Their main advantages: local effect and the absence of any side effects.

Surgical treatments are used when conservative medicine fails or the disease is advanced. The simplest methods are: injection of medication, washing of the joint cavity, removal of the “free body”, cartilage transplantation. Replacement of a joint with an implant occurs only if it is obvious that the use of medications is useless, or the disease is very advanced.

If there is pain in the knee when bending, and the knee is swollen, it is best to immediately go to a specialist. Success depends entirely on the stage of the disease. Do not self-diagnose or self-medicate.

There is no single remedy for knee pain. The doctor must make an accurate diagnosis, then proceed to a comprehensive and sufficiently long treatment. At the initial stage of inflammatory diseases, physiotherapy in combination with therapeutic exercises is sometimes enough.

Too active lifestyle, which is necessary in the modern world to satisfy all its needs, sometimes leads to various injuries, among which a knee bruise is one of the most painful and common.

The knee joint is one of the most complex devices of the human body, two bones are interconnected by numerous ligaments, tendons, cartilage and muscles. It is this complex structure that causes difficulties in its treatment after injury.

Fall hazards for the knee

When falling, the entire load, as a rule, falls on the cups of the knee, since it is on this part that the landing is made. What to do if you fall and the bruised knee is swollen and hurts when bent, or a bump appears in the calyx area? What first aid should be given to yourself or someone who has fallen? These aspects have been studied for a long time in life safety lessons from the very first grades. But, despite all this, by adulthood, this is safely forgotten, and helping oneself or others becomes a problem. In such cases, first aid will come down to the fact that the victim will quickly get up, rubbing the bruised area with his hand.

Meanwhile, a knee injury is fraught with the following possible consequences:

Bone crack.
Fracture.
Meniscus tear.
Rupture of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.
Inflammation and rupture of tendons.
Internal hematomas.
Atrophy of the leg muscles.
Twisting of the knee ligaments.

This is not a complete list of what a knee injury can lead to.

Attention! If a knee injury has occurred in a child, then you should not rely on your own strength, treat with folk remedies, use any unfamiliar ointment. The health of a child is so fragile that it is unwise and dangerous to rely on one's unskilled knowledge. Therefore, it is not worth doing something on your own. It is better to immediately entrust the treatment of your child to an experienced specialist, so that you do not reproach yourself for the rest of your life for lost time and a mistake.

First aid for a fall

What first aid should be provided after a severe knee injury is received? So, you feel like your balance is lost, and you quickly land on the ground. Your algorithm of actions:

Gently, slowly kneel first, and then on your feet.
Inspect the site of the bruise, note if there are abrasions, bleeding, hematomas on it. What is the nature of hematomas.
Slowly, try to move your knee, walk carefully.

If the pain is tolerable, and you can walk, then you can then proceed to the next steps to help. Next, you need:

Provide complete rest to the knee by applying a tight, non-pressing bandage with gauze or, even better, an elastic bandage, before applying an anesthetic ointment (Fastum-gel, Bystrum-gel, Nise).
If possible, sit down and slowly raise your leg to an elevation, thereby ensuring the outflow of blood from a bruise.
You can apply cold to the bruised area, but in such a way that direct contact with ice is excluded, for example, a bottle or heating pad with cold water, an ice pack wrapped in advance with a cloth or towel.

Important! In order not to get a cold burn, cold must be applied through a heating pad, bag, cloth

All these actions are performed if there is no visible damage. If a knee injury is accompanied by heavy bleeding, abrasions, then in no case should you apply anesthetic ointment, rub, knead and perform other actions. If there are wounds, you need:

Rinse the wound with running water.
After treating the bruised knee with antiseptics: hydrogen peroxide, brilliant green, alcohol, iodine (around the wound).
After that, you need to apply a dry bandage.

What to do if the pain does not go away?

What to do if, after a knee injury has occurred, and the above remedies could not be cured? What symptoms should worry and become a reason to see a doctor?

If, after first aid, it did not get better within a week, or, on the contrary, it became even worse, new symptoms appeared, such as:

Lump on knee;
Extensive hematoma;
joint immobility;
A crunch in the knee with its simultaneous pain;

Involuntary flexion / extension of the knee during walking and at rest;
Swelling and redness of the bruise;
The knee is hot;
Chills, body temperature is increased;
Deformity of the knee joint;
Bruising.

Here, only a qualified specialist can help and cure a bruised knee.

How to cure a knee injury, the doctor will be able to decide only when he conducts a series of tests to determine the causes of pain, clarifies the disturbing symptoms, and makes a survey.

What tests are needed to determine the diagnosis

No treatment will be prescribed without testing, examination and diagnosis. Therefore, as soon as you enter the doctor's office, you will be:

Questions were asked about what happened and when, what treatment was taken by you personally, what worries you.
An examination was carried out, during which the doctor will palpate to determine if there is internal bleeding, a bump, swelling and redness.
An ultrasound of the joint was ordered.
An X-ray examination was ordered.
After receiving all these results, the doctor prescribes treatment.

Knee injury treatment

Depending on what the x-ray shows, the doctor will determine which treatment to prescribe.

In case of fractures, cracks, plaster is applied. The time of wearing it will depend on the rate of bone fusion.
If there is a rupture of the meniscus, then with the help of appropriate equipment its restoration is prescribed.
In case of tendon ruptures, they are restored.
For various types of inflammation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesic anti-inflammatory ointment, antibiotics, corticosteroids, analgesics are prescribed.

A popular remedy for the treatment of joint and muscle pain:

Treatment of a knee injury with folk remedies

If there are no signs of a fracture, dislocation of the knee or a crack, and the mobility of the joint is not impaired, then you can try treatment with folk remedies.

Grate a large onion, apply a mushy mass to the site of the bruise, wrap it with a plastic bag, wrap it with a light cloth on top and leave for an hour or two. You can do this procedure several times a day, there will be no harm.
Mix one hundred grams of sea salt without flavorings and additives, half a liter of apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons of iodine, soak a towel in the resulting mixture and wrap the bruised area with it.
Cabbage leaf is an excellent solution for treating a bruise with folk remedies, it relieves inflammation and gives a temporary cooling effect. Apply a clean dry sheet to the joint and wrap it with a bandage, keep it all night.
A plantain leaf has the same properties as cabbage, attach a couple of clean sheets to a sore spot, fix with a bandage and leave overnight.

You can lubricate the bruise with arnica tincture (it is freely available in pharmacies).
You can treat a bruise with folk remedies with the help of bodyagi, it not only eliminates pain, but also relieves abrasions and bruises. The powder is dissolved in warm water, mixed and the resulting slurry is applied to the bruise, wrapped with a bandage and wait for the paste to dry.

Treatment with folk remedies is carried out only when there are no wounds, abrasions, and joint mobility is fully preserved.

Thus, it is necessary to treat knee bruises on your own only if there are no such unpleasant phenomena in its place as:

Cone.
Bleeding.
Deformation.
immobility.
Crunch.

And remember that self-treatment can lead to irreversible consequences, so it will be safer for your health not to self-medicate, but to consult a traumatologist.

Many people suffer from knee pain from time to time. This is not surprising, since we put a lot of stress on our knees every day.

The biggest risk group in this matter are athletes.

But an injury can also occur in an ordinary person who is engaged in outdoor activities when performing work related to physical effort.

The knee is the largest and most functional joint in our body. Although the knee joint is large, it is a rather vulnerable place in terms of its structure. To understand why, let's briefly describe the anatomy of the knee.

Short Course in Anatomy

Anatomists under the concept of the knee mean the knee joint. The knee joint is indeed the main part of the knee.

But in the formation of the knee, as part of the leg, the muscles of the thigh and lower leg, mainly their tendons, also take part.

The condyles of the femur, the upper articular surface of the tibia and the patella are involved in the formation of the knee joint. Mitigation of shocks during movements is facilitated by two menisci: medial and lateral.

Basically, the movement during flexion and extension of the leg in the knee joint occurs between the condyles of the femur and the menisci. The knee joint also strengthens a number of ligaments.

What does knee pain mean?

ATTENTION!

Usually, pain in the knee during flexion and extension is associated with damage to one of its components.

In severe lesions of the knee joint, swelling and a local increase in temperature may appear.

The knee often hurts, including when bending, after an injury.

The injury can be caused by a hard blow to the knee, by hitting a hard object, or by a fall. With an injury, there are immediately manifestations of pain, bruising and swelling appear.

The swelling causes compression of the nerve endings, resulting in a numbness or tingling sensation in the knee or lower leg.

Severe pain in the knee is characteristic of injuries of the ligaments and tendons of the knee joint,

Fractures, dislocations of the knee and patella.

If pain occurs when bending

Among the reasons why the knee hurts a lot when bending, the following can be distinguished:

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease of the connective tissue, which is characterized by damage to the joints and the further development of destructive changes in them. In the initial stages, pain in the knee occurs only during movement or flexion, but in the future, the pain bothers the person at rest. There is swelling and redness in the joint area. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by morning stiffness that lasts at least an hour.
Gouty arthritis occurs due to the deposition of uric acid salts in the articular and periarticular tissues. It is characterized by sharp, unbearable pain in the knee joint, aggravated by the slightest movements or attempts to change position.
Arthrosis of the knee(gonarthrosis) is a chronic progressive destructive disease of the knee joint that occurs due to various reasons. Gonarthrosis is characterized by pains of a mechanical nature, disturbing at first only when the joint is loaded. When flexing, the pain may radiate to the lower leg and thigh. Palpation is determined by the soreness of the joint, its compaction and limitation in movement. In the later stages, joint deformity occurs, its increase in volume, the joint space narrows. If timely treatment is not carried out, a person is threatened with disability.
Tendinitis- This is an inflammatory process of the ligamentous apparatus of the knee. Most common among athletes. The main symptom is pain that occurs in the anterior region of the knee and only during physical exertion.
Bursitis- This is an inflammatory process of the periarticular bag. Most often, bursitis develops against the background of injuries, frequent mechanical damage to the joint and infections. Pain occurs during the implementation of active actions involving the knee joint. The joint turns red, becomes edematous and sometimes increases significantly in volume.
Osgood-Schlatter disease is osteochondropathy of the tibial tuberosity. It usually occurs in adolescence in males who are actively involved in cross-country sports. The disease is characterized by intense pain in the knee and lower leg area during flexion in the knee joint. Usually, there is no pain at rest.

Sometimes pain in the knee joint can occur due to inflammation of the sciatic nerve or infringement of the subcutaneous branches of the nerves, for example, when wearing high, narrow boots.

The cause of pain during flexion can be osteochondritis dissecans, a disease in which there is a necrosis of a bone area and its rejection into the joint space.

This disease is characterized by pain of a constant, aching nature, localized along the anterior or anterointernal surface of the knee joint.

The following acute injuries can also cause pain:

meniscus injury;
rupture of ligaments and tendons;
rupture of the tibial ligament;
fracture of the upper leg, lower part of the femur, patella;
dislocation of the patella;
dislocation of the knee.

Why does a false joint occur after a fracture and is it possible to avoid this pathology? Find out more in our article.

One of the most common causes of knee pain in young people is chondromalacia of the patella. Every athlete and not only should know the details of treatment and prevention.

What types of pain exist

There are several different types of knee pain:

sudden pain is typical for fresh injuries, joint block in case of meniscal injuries, as well as for the introduction of bone elements into soft tissues.
Aching occurs in the case of chronic processes in the joint: inflammation, the initial stages of arthrosis or vascular disorders.
Shooting characteristic of inflammatory processes involving nerve endings.
strong it happens in case of pinching of the nerve, block in case of meniscus ruptures and other acute injuries.
Constant characteristic of spasm of nearby muscles, fibrosis of the capsule, reactive synovitis and neuropathies.
Pulsating occurs during acute inflammatory processes of soft tissues, for the initial stages of rheumatoid arthritis and vascular disorders.
cutting indicates a torn meniscus and junction block, or a pinched nerve.
Pulling characteristic of various stages of development of most pathologies.
Pain below the knee occurs during injuries of the menisci, tendons and ligaments, fractures of the patella and detachment of the periosteum.
Pain above the knee indicates coxarthrosis, problems with the spine and vascular disorders.
spreading pain is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis.

Diagnostic methods

The most common diagnostic method is radiography. It is usually carried out in two projections: direct and lateral.

Usually, a single direct x-ray of both knee joints is taken for comparison. In the lateral projection, it is possible to assess the function of the joint, with maximum extension, the ratio of the axis of the thigh and lower leg is assessed.

Often, doctors perform a diagnostic puncture of the joint, and the resulting joint fluid is sent for laboratory testing.

Also, to clarify the diagnosis, such instrumental research methods are prescribed:

Magnetic resonance imaging;
ultrasonography;
radionuclide diagnostics;
arthroscopy;
thermography.

First aid

In case of knee pain, ice should be applied to the joint. Keep the compress for no longer than 20 minutes.

You can try to relieve pain with drugs such as aspirin, acetaminophen, naproxen, dexalgin.

For chronic pain, you can wear special orthopedic insoles to help redistribute your weight. But still, it is better to consult a doctor to diagnose the disease in the early stages.

What treatment is given

An obligatory component of treatment, if the knee hurts a lot when bending, is to reduce the load on the joint.

During periods of exacerbation, patients are shown strict bed rest. Shoes should be soft and comfortable.

The goals of conservative treatment are:

improvement of the overall functional activity of the affected leg;
pain reduction;
slowing down the progression process.

Conservative treatment includes the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors, which restore the elasticity of cartilage tissue and its mechanical integrity, and local treatment.

Local treatment is carried out by applications of gels, ointments, aerosols and compresses.

Conservative treatment is effective only in the early stages of the disease. With untimely diagnosis, one has to resort to surgical intervention.

The most common is arthroscopic surgery. In advanced cases, joint arthroplasty.

Complications

If you do not deal with the treatment of the disease for a long time, permanent unbearable pain may occur, as a result of a significant deterioration in the quality of life, disability and loss of ability to work.

In order not to bring yourself to such a state and surgical treatment, it is necessary to contact a qualified specialist in a timely manner.

A knee injury for an athlete is a very unpleasant and very painful thing. It is she who can knock out even the most professional and seasoned athlete from the training process for a long time. Some eminent and promising athletes at one time had to leave the big sport precisely because of the injury to this joint. How to avoid a knee injury and what to do if it does occur, we will tell in this article.

Anatomy of the knee joint

The bone basis of the knee joint is the distal end of the femur, the proximal end of the tibia, and the head of the fibula. The articulating surfaces of the bones - the head of the femur and tibia - are covered with thick cartilage. The immediate places of "contact" of the bones are called condyles. They are curved at the femur and vice versa are concave at the tibia. To increase the congruence of the articulating surfaces, as well as for a more uniform pressure of the condyles on each other, there are cartilaginous formations - menisci - between the articulating surfaces of the bones. There are two of them - internal and external, respectively medial and lateral. The entire structure is reinforced from the inside with a system of ligaments.

Ligament apparatus

Between the menisci are the cruciate ligaments - anterior and posterior, connecting the femur to the tibia. They act as restraining mechanisms: the anterior cruciate ligament prevents the lower leg from moving forward, the posterior cruciate ligament prevents the lower leg from moving backward. Looking ahead, we note that the anterior cruciate ligament is more prone to injury.

On the anterior surface of the joint, the menisci are held together by the transverse ligament of the knee joint. The joint capsule is of considerable size, however, it is quite thin and does not have significant strength. It is provided by the ligaments surrounding the knee joint:

tibial ligament - runs from the head of the tibia to the medial condyle of the femur;
fibular ligament - runs from the head of the fibula to the lateral condyle of the femur;
oblique popliteal ligament - makes up the back of the articular bag of the knee joint, is partly a continuation of the tendon of the popliteal muscle;
tendon of the quadriceps femoris - runs along the anterior surface of the knee joint, is attached to the tuberosity of the tibia. The patella is also woven here - a small sesamoid bone, designed to increase the power potential of the quadriceps. The part of the tendon that runs from the patella to the tuberosity is called the patellar ligament.

The inner surface of the joint is lined with a synovial membrane. The latter forms a series of extensions filled with adipose tissue and synovial fluid. They increase the internal cavity of the knee joint, creating some additional depreciation reserve along with the menisci.

Additional stability to the knee joint is given by the tendons of the muscles surrounding it. These are the muscles of the thigh and lower leg.

Anterior muscle group

Speaking of the thigh muscles, they can be divided into four groups, depending on their location in relation to the knee joint.

The anterior group is represented by the quadriceps femoris. This is a massive formation, consisting of four heads that perform various functions:

the rectus femoris extends the thigh;
the medial, lateral and medial heads of the quadriceps are combined into a common tendon and are the extensors of the lower leg;

Thus, the function of the quadriceps is twofold: on the one hand, it flexes the thigh, on the other, it extends the lower leg.

The sartorius muscle also belongs to the muscles of the anterior thigh group. It is the longest in the body and passes through the hip and knee joints. Its distal end is attached to the tuberosity of the tibia. The function of this muscle is to flex the hip and flex the lower leg. She is also responsible for the supination of the thigh, that is, for turning the latter outward.

posterior muscle group

The posterior muscle group includes muscles whose function is to extend the hip and flex the lower leg. It:

biceps femoris, also known as the biceps femoris. Its functions are listed above. The distal end is attached to the head of the fibula. This muscle also supinates the lower leg;
semimembranosus muscle - the distal tendon is attached to the subarticular edge of the medial condyle of the tibia, also gives tendons to the oblique popliteal ligament and fascia of the popliteal muscle. The function of this muscle is flexion of the lower leg, extension of the thigh, pronation of the lower leg;
semitendinosus muscle of the thigh, which is attached to the tibial tuberosity with its distal end and is located medially. It performs the functions of flexion of the lower leg and its pronation.

Inner and lateral group

The inner thigh muscle group performs the function of adducting the thigh. It includes:

thin muscle of the thigh - distally attached to the tuberosity of the tibia, is responsible for adducting the thigh and flexing it at the knee joint;
the large adductor muscle - is attached with its distal end to the medial epicondyle of the femur and is the main adductor muscle of the thigh.

The lateral group of muscles, represented by the tensor fascia lata, is responsible for abducting the thigh to the side. At the same time, the tendon of the muscle passes into the ilio-tibial tract, strengthening the lateral edge of the knee joint and reinforcing the peroneal ligament.

In each section, it is not by chance that we are talking about the distal points of attachment of the muscles surrounding the knee joint, because we are talking about the knee. Therefore, it is important to have an idea which muscles surround the knee and are responsible for various movements here.

During the rehabilitation and therapeutic measures aimed at eliminating the consequences of knee injuries, it should be remembered that, while working hard, the muscles pass through themselves increased volumes of blood, which means oxygen and nutrients. This, in turn, leads to the enrichment of the joints with them.

There are two more large muscle groups, without which it is impossible to talk about the condition of the knee joints. These are the muscles of the lower leg, divided into anterior and posterior groups. The posterior group is represented by the triceps muscle of the lower leg, consisting of the calf and soleus muscles. This set of muscles is responsible for ankle extension and knee flexion. Accordingly, we can use said muscle composition for the treatment of diseases of the knee joint.

The anterior group is represented primarily by the anterior tibial muscle. Its function is to extend the foot, that is, in the movement of the foot "on itself". Actively participates in the formation of the arches of the foot, with insufficient development of the tibial muscle, flat feet are formed. It, in turn, changes the gait in such a way that the load on the knee joints increases, which leads first to chronic pain in the knee joints, then to arthrosis of the knee joints.

Types of knee injuries

Possible knee injuries include:

Injury

A bruise is the most harmless possible injury to the knee joint. It is obtained by direct contact of the joint with any hard surface. In other words, you need to hit something.

Clinical signs of a bruise are acute pain that occurs immediately after the injury itself, gradually turning into aching, low-intensity, but very intrusive.

As a rule, pain in the area of the joint with a bruise is constantly present, it may increase slightly with movement. The range of active movements is somewhat limited: usually the most difficult is the extension of the joint. An exception is a contusion of the popliteal fossa, in which flexion of the lower leg may also be difficult. With this type of injury, the last few degrees of leg flexion at the knee are impossible, not so much because of pain, but because of the sensation of a “foreign body” or a sensation of “jamming”.

The bruise passes on its own and does not need specific treatment, however, recovery can be accelerated in the following way:

immediately after the injury, apply ice to the site of the injury;
to massage the joint area;
do physiotherapy, such as magnetotherapy and UHF (on the 2nd-3rd day from the moment of injury);
perform specific exercises.

Fracture of the patella

This is a much more serious injury than a bruise. It also involves direct contact of the knee joint with a hard surface. The blow, as a rule, falls directly on the patella. This can be while performing jumping exercises (falling from a box for jumping, a goat, bars), when practicing contact martial arts or playing sports (hockey, rugby, basketball, karate).

In strength sports, such an injury can be caused by a lack of balance skills while holding weight overhead or by fully extending the leg at the knee joint under critical weight (jerk, snatch, barbell squats).

Signs of a patella fracture

At the time of injury there is a sharp pain. The joint area on the anterior surface is deformed. Palpation of the patella is very painful: in other words, you won’t be able to touch the kneecap without severe pain.

Reliance on the knee is possible, but very painful, as well as the process of walking. The joint is swollen, enlarged, the skin changes color. A hematoma forms at the site of injury.

In the joint itself, as a rule, a significant hematoma is always formed with the occurrence of hemarthrosis (this is when blood accumulates in the joint cavity). Blood, in most cases, fills the joint cavity and some inversions of the synovial membrane (see the anatomy section). Purely mechanically, it puts pressure on the capsular apparatus of the joint. In addition, liquid blood has an irritating effect on the synovium of the interstitial space. These two factors mutually reinforce each other, leading to excessive pain in the knee joint.

Active and passive (when someone else is trying to straighten your knee joint) knee extension is painful. With anesthesia under the skin, you can feel the patella, which can be displaced, deformed or split. Depending on the tactics chosen by the traumatologist, the treatment can be conservative or through surgical intervention.

Patellar injury treatment sequence

The sequence of actions will look like this:

making an accurate diagnosis using an ultrasound machine and radiographs;
puncture of blood from the joint;
surgical intervention (if necessary);
fixation of the knee and ankle joints for 1-1.5 months;
after removal of immobilization - a course of physiotherapy, physiotherapy exercises (see the section "Rehabilitation after an injury").

meniscus injury

The role of the meniscus is to provide greater congruence of the articular surfaces and a uniform load on the condyles of the tibia. A meniscus tear can be partial or complete. Simply put, the meniscus may simply "crack", which will violate its integrity, or a piece of the meniscus may come off.

The second variant of the injury is less favorable - the detached cartilage fragment forms a chondral body, freely moving in the joint cavity, which, under certain conditions, can move in such a way that it greatly complicates active movements within the joint. Moreover, the chondral body can change its position several times without being in an “uncomfortable” state all the time. In this case, surgery may be required to remove the broken fragment.

The option with the formation of a meniscus defect is not so terrible. In such a situation, when performing certain therapeutic exercises, over time, the defect is completely “closed” by the connective tissue.

The main problem with meniscal injuries is that if left untreated, over time they are more likely to lead to osteoarthritis of the knee, a degenerative disease that damages the cartilage component of the knee joint.

Cruciate ligament rupture

The front "crosses" are most often damaged. The load on them is greater even in everyday life, not to mention sports loads. Such damage is common in sprinters, skaters, rugby players, basketball players, hockey players - in all those who alternate periods of steady running with sprints. It is during the sprint, when the knee amplitude flexes and unbends under significant load, that the cruciate ligaments are most easily injured.

Another option is an overweight platform leg press against the background of overextension of the knees at the final point of the press. The pain at the time of injury is so strong that it can reflexively provoke an attack of nausea and vomiting. Relying on the legs is very painful. There is no feeling of stability when walking.

In the injured leg, passive displacement of the lower leg with hyperextension of the knee joint is possible. As a rule, right at the moment of injury, you are unlikely to be able to diagnose any specific damage. In any case, you will see spasmodic muscles around the joint, difficulty in active movements and an increase in the joint in volume, most likely caused by hemarthrosis.

Treatment of damage to the ligamentous apparatus can be both operative and conservative. Plus surgery in a speedy recovery. However, the operation can become a trigger for the subsequent formation of arthrosis of the knee joint, so you should carefully listen to your doctor and take into account his opinion regarding your case.

Traumatic crossfit exercises

The most dangerous exercises for the knee joints in crossfit are:

jumping on the box;
squats with full extension of the knee joints at the top;
weightlifting jerks and jerks;
running short distances;
jumping lunges with knees touching the floor.

The exercises listed above, by themselves, do not cause knee injury. They can provoke it with an unreasonable approach to training. What does it mean?

No need to drastically increase the working weights and the number of repetitions. No need to work long hours beyond failure.
Do not perform the exercise if you feel discomfort in the knee.
At a minimum, you need to change the execution technique to the correct one, as a maximum, refuse to perform this exercise if it is not given to you in any way.

First aid

First aid for any injury to the knee joint is to minimize the growth of hematoma and reduce pain. The easiest thing to do is to apply a cold compress to the joint area.

The compress is applied in front on both sides of the joint. In no case should you cool the popliteal fossa. This is dangerous and can lead to vasospasm of the main neurovascular bundle of the leg.

If the pain is severe, pain medication should be given. Of course, it is necessary to call an ambulance and transport the victim to the point of trauma care.

Treatment

Treatment of knee joints after injury can be both operative and conservative. Simply put, they can first operate, then immobilize the joint, or they can simply immobilize. Tactics depend on the specific situation and injury. In this case, it is impossible to give a single recommendation for everyone.

The sequence of treatment is determined by the traumatologist-orthopedist.

Do not self-medicate! It can lead you to sad consequences in the form of arthrosis of the knee joint, chronic pain and indirect damage to the hip joint of the same name!

There is a certain feature of the treatment of ligament injuries. Regardless of whether the operation was performed or not, after a period of immobilization, and sometimes instead of it, partial immobilization using a articulated orthosis is applied.

Rehabilitation after an injury

In order to strengthen the knee joint after an injury, it is necessary to remove compression movements for a long period of time (up to a year). That's all, regardless of whether they are performed in the simulator or not.

It is also necessary to strengthen those muscles that surround the knee joint: extensors, flexors, abductors and adductors of the thighs. The easiest way to do this is using specialized strength training equipment. Each movement should be performed at least 20-25 times. Breathing should be even and rhythmic: exhale for effort, inhale for relaxation. Breathe preferably with your stomach.

The complex should include the sequential execution of each of the above movements in one approach, with a weight that allows you to perform the specified range of repetitions.

Take a slow pace of execution, for two or three counts. The amplitude, if possible, should be as large as possible. In total, up to 5-6 such circles can be repeated during a workout. As for the calf muscles, it will be useful to do this: after each exercise that is not aimed at the muscles of the thigh, perform lifts on the toes. Do this also slowly enough, with maximum amplitude and without holding your breath, until you feel a strong burning sensation in the target muscle group.

Start your rehab with one lap per workout and one set of calf raises.

By the end of the third month of rehabilitation, you should complete at least 4 circuits per workout and at least 2 times a week. From this period, with a favorable course of the rehabilitation process and the passage of pain, you can gradually return to compression loads. It’s better to start with leg presses in the simulator with the development of your own weight. Only then can you move on to doing squats with your own weight.

However, all these moments are very individual! Listen to your body. If you feel discomfort, extend the “no-compression” stage for some more time. Remember, no one but you at this stage will be able to determine the adequacy of the loads.