Suggest Treatment For Swollen And Bruised Kneecap

Posted on Sun, 7 Sep 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 7 Sep 2014 Answered on

Mon, 29 Sep 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I fell and my kneecap hit a piece of metal. It swelled up and bruised. I can walk and move ok. It feels tight sometimes. But if I touch part of the kneecap it seriously hurts. Could this just be brushing or should I be more concerned. It happened 5 days ago.

Answered by Dr. Shailja Puri (-3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Pain killers and hot fomentation required.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query on HealthcareMagic.

Pain on touching the knee joint, however, no walking difficulty suggests a soft tissue injury.
Swelling could be due to joint effusion or accumulation of fluid in the joint due as a result of reaction to the injury.
Bruising was due to injury to skin and subcutaneous tissue.
Hot fomentation to the joint and pain killer like ibuprofen will relieve the pain .

However, if the pain and swelling does not disappear after 3-5 days, you need to consult an orthopedic surgeon for investigations.

Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj