where do u go for treatment on a knee injury

How do I treat a knee injury?

Apply ice to your knee for 15-30 minutes at a time and do so as often as possible for the first 48 hours after the injury. Take breaks of at least 10 minutes between each application. After the first 48 hours, you can switch to applying ice every 2 hours. The ice will make your joint feel better by numbing the pain and help with inflammation.

Should I go to urgent care for knee pain?

Ask someone to drive you to urgent care or the emergency room if your knee pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by: A joint that appears deformed. A popping noise at the time your knee was injured. Inability to bear weight. Intense pain. Sudden swelling.

When is surgery the best treatment for a torn knee cartilage?

“If it’s three out of three, we think surgery is probably the best approach.” Of course, the nature of your injury will drive the treatment that you need. The knee has two disc-shaped pieces of cartilage that cushion the bones in the joint.

How should I wrap my knee after a knee replacement?

You need to wrap your knee with an elastic bandage or band. Wrap the bandage tightly enough to support your knee and keep it from moving. However, make sure you do not wrap it so tight that it cuts off your circulation.

What kind of doctor do I need for a knee injury?

Type of Doctor to See For Knee Pain To get the best possible treatment, choose an orthopedic doctor. Orthopedic doctors have the specialized knowledge and training needed to treat a wide variety of problems affecting the musculoskeletal system — bones, joints, cartilage, muscles, and nerves — including the knees.

Where should I go if I injured my knee?

Seek immediate medical attention Ask someone to drive you to urgent care or the emergency room if your knee pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by: A joint that appears deformed. A popping noise at the time your knee was injured.

What is the best treatment for a knee injury?

Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation Resting the affected ligaments, tendons, and muscles, gives the knee time to heal. Your doctor may provide a cane or crutches to help you keep weight off the affected knee for about a week. After the swelling starts to subside, most people can walk while wearing a knee brace.

Should you go to the ER for a knee injury?

If your knee pain is that bad, you might have a broken bone. In this case, go to the ER. However, if your knee only hurts when you walk on it, and you don't think it's broken, avoid the expense of the ER by having a family member or friend help you to urgent care instead.

How do I know if I tore something in my knee?

SymptomsA popping sensation.Swelling or stiffness.Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee.Difficulty straightening your knee fully.Feeling as though your knee is locked in place when you try to move it.Feeling of your knee giving way.

How do I know if my knee injury is serious?

Five signs of a potentially serious knee injury:Your Knee Is Swollen. ... Your Knee Is “Locked” And You Can't Straighten It. ... Your Knee Feels Unstable, or You Felt a Pop. ... You Have Significant Weakness Trying To Straighten Your Knee. ... You Have Significant Difficulty Walking.

How do I know if I tore a ligament in my knee?

What Does a Knee Ligament Injury Feel Like?Pain, often sudden and severe.A loud pop or snap during the injury.Swelling within the first 24 hours after the injury.A feeling of looseness in the joint.Inability to put weight on the joint without pain, or any weight at all.

What happens if a knee injury goes untreated?

Untreated injuries can lead to the affected body part being unstable when performing certain actions. An untreated knee injury, for example, may click, catch, or buckle repeatedly, sometimes with pain. Injuries can also heal and become re-injured later.

What are 5 symptoms of a knee injury?

The main symptoms of knee injury are as follows:Knee pain.Swelling.Heat.Redness.Tenderness.Difficulty bending the knee.Problems weight bearing.Clicking or popping sounds.More items...

When should I go to the ER for my knee?

Seek immediate medical attention when knee pain is severe, especially when accompanied by weakness and limited range of motion. Intense Pain: Go to urgent care or the emergency room if you have severe knee pain, especially from a forceful impact.

How does a meniscus tear feel?

Individuals with a meniscus tear often complain of pain along the joint line. They often have pain or weakness with bending the knee and sometimes they have a catching or locking sensation. With an acute tear, individuals may notice a lot of swelling in the knee and often report that they heard or felt a pop.

How long after a knee injury should you see a doctor?

Generally, athletes should see a healthcare provider for pain lasting more than 48 hours and other adults should see an expert if there seems to be no change for three weeks. Generally, most healthcare providers recommend that you schedule an appointment as soon as you notice that your symptoms impact the way you live.

What is the fastest way to heal a sprained knee?

The most common treatment for a knee sprain is rest, ice, compression of the swelling, and taking anti-inflammatories. Unfortunately, as you get ol...

I was injured playing football. I was able to walk after one week, but after three weeks there has b...

RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) is part of the treatment of any sprain, including compression. A compression sock might help out with...

What can I do to help water on the knee?

Water on the knee is a sign of inflammation. It can be due to a broken bursa sac, which is a fluid-filled sac in the knee. Only time will allow the...

How to help a knee that hurts?

Heat. You may experience temporary pain relief by applying a heat pack or hot-water bottle to the painful area on your knee. Compression. This helps prevent fluid buildup in damaged tissues and maintains knee alignment and stability. Look for a compression bandage that's lightweight, breathable and self-adhesive.

How to heal a knee injury?

Self-care measures for an injured knee include: Rest. Take a break from your normal activities to reduce repetitive strain on your knee, give the injury time to heal and help prevent further damage. A day or two of rest may be all you need for a minor injury. More severe damage is likely to need a longer recovery time.

How to make your knee more stable?

Strengthening the muscles around your knee will make it more stable. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy or different types of strengthening exercises based on the specific condition that is causing your pain.

How to check if knee is swollen?

Check to see how far you can move your lower leg in different directions. Push on or pull the joint to evaluate the integrity of the structures in your knee.

What type of surgery is needed to repair a knee injury?

If you choose to have surgery, your options may include: Arthroscopic surgery . Depending on your injury, your doctor may be able to examine and repair your joint damage using a fiber-optic camera and long, narrow tools inserted through just a few small incisions around your knee.

What is the procedure to remove fluid from the knee?

Lab tests. If your doctor suspects an infection or inflammation, you're likely to have blood tests and sometimes a procedure called arthrocentesis, in which a small amount of fluid is removed from within your knee joint with a needle and sent to a laboratory for analysis.

What is the purpose of MRI on knee?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI uses radio waves and a powerful magnet to create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is particularly useful in revealing injuries to soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, cartilage and muscles.

How to treat a sprained knee?

To treat a knee sprain, firmly wrap the injured knee with an elastic bandage or band to help reduce swelling and prevent your knee from moving around too much. Next, stay off your knee and rest it in an elevated position as much as possible.

How to reduce swelling in knee after a sprain?

To help reduce swelling, you should compress you knee in the days after your injury. You need to wrap your knee with an elastic bandage or band. Wrap the bandage tightly enough to support your knee and keep it from moving. However, make sure you do not wrap it so tight that it cuts off your circulation.

How long does it take for a knee sprain to heal?

Unfortunately, as you get older your body heals more slowly. It may take a minimum of three days to get back to normal, but it can also take longer, depending on the severity of the sprain. Thanks!

How does a knee sprain affect the ligaments?

A sprain can affect many of the ligaments in your knee by tearing the fibers of the tissues, which usually causes pain, swelling, and bruising. [1] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public Go to source. If you have been diagnosed with a knee sprain, you can follow a few simple steps ...

What is a knee sprain?

This article has been viewed 576,701 times. A knee sprain is an injury to the ligaments in the knee, which are the tough, elastic-like bands in the knee that connect your bones together and hold your joints in place. A sprain can affect many of the ligaments in your knee by tearing the fibers of the tissues, which usually causes pain, swelling, ...

How to get a sprained knee to stop swelling?

Try to keep your knee above the level of your heart to decrease the blood flow and swelling to your knee. Sit back or lie down on your back. Place two or three pillows underneath your sprained knee to elevate it above your heart. The amount you need to elevate your knee will depend on your environment.

How to get rid of a swollen knee?

Ice your knee. In the first few days, you should ice your knee to help relieve inflammation and pain. Put ice cubes or crushed ice in a sealed plastic bag or take a bag of frozen veggies from the freezer. Wrap the bag in a towel or cloth. Place the ice pack on your knee for 20 minutes at a time.

What are the exercises that a physical therapist can do to help a knee injury?

These exercises include strengthening the front of the thigh ( quadriceps ), back of the thigh (hamstrings), calf, and hip.

How to diagnose knee injury?

Knee injuries are diagnosed by a history and physical examination. Sometimes an X-ray or MRI may be done. Treatment of knee injuries depends on the type and severity of the injury and can involve RICE therapy (rest, ice, compression, elevation), physical therapy, immobilization, or surgery. Prognosis for knee injury depends on ...

What are the different types of knee injuries?

The different types of common knee injuries to the knee are defined by the affected anatomy of the knee and the mechanism by which it's injured. Knee sprains are injuries to the ligaments that hold the knee together. There are multiple ligaments that stabilize the knee and keep it in alignment.

What are the symptoms of bursitis in the knee?

Symptoms and signs include pain, swelling, warmth, tenderness, and redness. Treatment of knee bursitis depends on whether infection is involved.

How long does it take to recover from a knee injury?

Simple strains or sprains can last for one to two weeks.

What is a fractured patella?

Patella, or kneecap, fractures occur when a person falls directly down onto the knees and the kneecap cracks due to the force. Collapse of the top of the tibia bone in the knee (tibia plateau fracture) can occur from sudden compression injury to the knee, especially in people with osteoporosis.

What are the symptoms of a knee injury?

Feeling of instability. Bruising. If the injury is acute, the main symptoms will most likely be knee pain and swelling. If the injury is chronic or from overuse, the symptoms of clicking, popping, and intermittent pain will be more prominent.

How to treat a knee injury?

Physical therapy is one type of knee treatment. Treatment will vary based on the cause of the knee pain and the specifics of the injury. In cases of strain or overuse injuries, rest and ice will typically allow the knee to heal over time. Treatment may also involve managing pain and inflammation with medication.

What is the bottom of the knee joint?

The shinbone, or tibia, makes up the bottom of the knee joint. The patella or kneecap covers the meeting point between the femur and tibia. The cartilage is the tissue that cushions the bones of the knee joint, helping ligaments slide easily over the bones and protecting the bones from impact.

What is the injury to the kneecap that connects the shinbone to the kneecap?

Tendonitis or inflammation in the knee is known as patellar tendinitis. This is an injury to the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone. The patellar tendon works with the front of the thigh to extend the knee so a person can run, jump, and perform other physical activities.

What are the ligaments that connect the bones of the knee?

There are four ligaments in the knee that act similarly to ropes, holding the bones together and stabilizing them. Tendons connect the muscles that support the knee joint to bones in the upper and lower leg. There are many different types of knee injuries. Below are 10 of the most common injuries of the knee. 1.

What is a torn cartilage in the knee?

When people refer to torn cartilage in the knee, they are probably talking about a meniscal tear. The menisci are two rubbery wedges of cartilage between the thighbone and shinbone. These pieces of cartilage can tear suddenly during sporting activities. They may also tear slowly due to aging.

Why does my knee pop when I get a meniscus tear?

They may also tear slowly due to aging. When the meniscus tears due to the natural aging process , it is referred to as a degenerative meniscus tear. With a sudden meniscus tear, a pop may be heard or felt in the knee. After the initial injury, pain, swelling, and tightness may increase over the next few days. 5.

What is the ligament that connects the thighbone to the shinbone?

Collateral ligament injuries. Collateral ligaments connect the thighbone to the shinbone. Injury to these ligaments is a common problem for athletes, particularly those involved in contact sports. Collateral ligament tears often occur due to a direct impact or collision with another person or object.

What is the best treatment for knee pain?

The best knee joint pain treatment to start with if you have an injury is PRICE (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate), previously known as RICE. This helps to protect against further injury, reduces pain and swelling and speeds up healing.

What is knee pain treatment?

Knee joint pain treatment aims to reduce pain, instability, swelling and weakness. Some treatments work well in the initial stages after a knee injury whereas some are more appropriate for longer term conditions. To be effective, knee pain treatment should look to cure not just the symptoms of the problem but also what is causing it in ...

Why do people wear knee braces?

Knee Braces. Braces are a great way to provide support and protect the joint, reduce pain and inflammation, retain heat and promote healing. Using a brace can make sports and day-to-day activities much easier. There are so many different styles of brace out there it can be hard to know what to go for.

What causes knee pain?

3. Leg Stretches. Tight muscles is a common cause of knee pain as they can make subtle changes to how the forces go through different parts of the joint. By doing stretches as part of your knee treatment plan, you can reduce the tension on your joint.

Why do you need to ice your knee?

Ice plays a really important part in knee joint pain treatment in the initial stages after an injury or for long term problems. It reduces the blood flow to the area so limits the internal bleeding which reduces the associated swelling and pain.

How to help knee pain?

2. Strengthening Exercises. Strengthening the leg muscles is one of the best all-round knee joint pain treatment options. 99.9% of the time, muscle weakness is a key cause of knee problems. When there is muscle weakness, more force goes through the joint which can lead to long term problems or injuries. Strengthening exercises improve how the knee ...

How to treat arthritis in knees?

Acupuncture. Acupuncture can be really effective way of providing pain relief without having to take pills. Needles are placed at various points around the body to block pain signals and improve circulation. Studies have shown acupuncture to be a particularly effective knee joint pain treatment for arthritis.

What is the procedure to remove a tear from the knee?

Bush-Joseph calls this “cleaning out” the knee. Doctors can do this through arthroscopy, a type of operation that uses several small cuts, rather than open surgery that leaves a large scar.

How to keep knees stable?

Stronger quadriceps (muscles at the front of the thigh), for example, will help keep your knee stable. Knee surgery to repair the meniscus or the ligaments does make you more likely to get osteoarthritis (the wear-and-tear type of arthritis) later in life. But most surgeries to repair knee injuries are successful.

What are the two types of ligaments in the knee?

Knee Ligament Sprains or Tears. These are common among athletes. There are two types of ligaments: collateral and cruciate. You have four main ligaments in your knee: the lateral collateral ligament, medial collateral ligament (MCL), posterior cruciate ligament, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

How long does it take to recover from a torn ligament?

It can take roughly 8 weeks to recover from surgery to repair a ligament tear. But if you need a major reconstruction of a torn ligament, it can take 6 months or so to get you back to full strength, Bush-Joseph says. After Surgery: Prevention.

Can a knee injury affect your ability to move?

Whatever its cause and however long ago it happened, a knee injury can affect how well you move. Fortunately, you can usually treat it with physical therapy, weight loss, ...

Can a tear in the meniscus heal on its own?

The inner part of the meniscus doesn’t have the same healthy circulation. So it won’t really heal.

Overview

Arthritis is a disease that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in your joints. It can affect the largest and strongest joints in your body. It’s common in knees. Arthritis of the knee can be a serious, debilitating disease.

Symptoms and Causes

Experts have identified some genes that might cause arthritis, including arthritis of the knee. They predict that there are more genes not yet discovered. You could have a gene linked to arthritis without knowing it and a virus or injury could trigger arthritis of the knee.

Diagnosis and Tests

Your healthcare provider will probably order X-rays of your knees to check for arthritis. The X-rays should reveal:

Management and Treatment

Arthritis in your knee will likely always affect you. But some treatments help reduce the severity of the symptoms and maybe keep the disease from getting worse.

Prevention

Most known causes of arthritis of the knee are unpreventable and include:

Living With

Pain and stiffness caused by arthritis of the knee can make walking difficult. In the later stages, your knee might even lock up. You might struggle even to move it. See your healthcare provider about treatments that might reduce your risk of such symptoms.

How to treat a knee injury?

3. Use ice to reduce pain and swelling. "Ice" is the "I" in RICE. Apply ice to your knee for 15-30 minutes at a time and do so as often as possible for the first 48 hours after the injury. Take breaks of at least 10 minutes between each application.

How to get rid of pain in knee?

Use crutches to take weight off the knee. With many injuries, taking weight off will give your knee time to heal. It can also relieve pain, as you won't be putting strain and stress on the bone, joint, or ligaments. If it's easier for you, you can use a walker or even a wheelchair.

What to wear when you have a fractured knee?

Wear a knee brace or cast if you have a fracture or ligament injury. The doctor will likely recommend you get one of these to immobilize your knee with certain types of injuries. They help keep your knee in place so it has a chance to heal. The cast will need to be put on the doctor's office.

How to wrap a leg with ace bandage?

To wrap your leg, extend it in front of you. Start with one end of an ace bandage, and wrap it all the way around your lower thigh so it goes back over itself. Then, move down your leg, overlapping the bandage as you wrap it around and around your leg. Leave a little extra space when you go around your knee cap.

How long does it take for ice to work on a joint?

After the first 48 hours, you can switch to applying ice every 2 hours. The ice will make your joint feel better by numbing the pain and help with inflammation. Always use a towel between the ice and your skin, as ice against your skin can damage it. Avoid applying heat, as that could make the swelling worse. ...

Can you scar cartilage?

Expert Answer. Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer. No, usually once you damage cartilage, it's going to scar, rather than heal. However, you can help decrease your pain or discomfort by working with a physical therapist to increase the range of motion in the injured area.

What to do if your knee hurts?

Make an appointment with your doctor if your knee pain was caused by a particularly forceful impact or if it's accompanied by: If you've had minor knee pain for some time, make an appointment with your doctor if the pain worsens to the point that it interferes with your usual activities or sleep.

How to get rid of a knee injury?

Ice. Put ice on your knee for 15 to 20 minutes a few times each day. Use ice cubes or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel. Compression.

How to help knee pain from arthritis?

Long-term knee pain from arthritis is often helped by weight loss and exercises to strengthen the muscles around the joint. Other self-care options include: Rest. Avoid more-strenuous or painful activities, but keep active.

What are the symptoms of a knee injury?

Make an appointment with your doctor if your knee pain was caused by a particularly forceful impact or if it's accompanied by: 1 Significant swelling 2 Redness 3 Tenderness and warmth around the joint 4 Significant pain 5 Fever

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