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What Causes Soreness And Swelling In The Foot With Stitches?
Question: Hello,
I got stitches on my left foot 7 days a ago (I was on vacation out of the country) Because of the pain I have been keeping my leg straight (knee locked) while walking. I have been sleeping with my foot elevated to reduce swelling. My stitches look fine and are healing nicely but yesterday I noticed my knee was feeling slightly sore. I attributed it to walking funny because of my stitches. But today the pain has gotten more intense (throbbing/achy) and the knee is slighty swollen. It only hurts on one small spot on my knee and it's very tender to the touch) When I bend my knee it hurts a lot. I went to an urgent care and the dr. Said it looked like nothing. Im not convinced. Could this be the beginnings of a cellulitis infection on my knee?
I got stitches on my left foot 7 days a ago (I was on vacation out of the country) Because of the pain I have been keeping my leg straight (knee locked) while walking. I have been sleeping with my foot elevated to reduce swelling. My stitches look fine and are healing nicely but yesterday I noticed my knee was feeling slightly sore. I attributed it to walking funny because of my stitches. But today the pain has gotten more intense (throbbing/achy) and the knee is slighty swollen. It only hurts on one small spot on my knee and it's very tender to the touch) When I bend my knee it hurts a lot. I went to an urgent care and the dr. Said it looked like nothing. Im not convinced. Could this be the beginnings of a cellulitis infection on my knee?
Brief Answer:
I doubt that...
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
although localized pain that gets worse over time after an injury may indicate infection, it sounds unlikely. Normally when you have to do stitches the surgeon does a thorough decontamination of the affected area first. And even if some bacteria did survive and caused an infection, it's very unlikely that a doctor could not recognize any sign of them!
In infected trauma there are certain symptoms and signs that may lead to the diagnosis. The patient feels pain that gets worse with time. Pus may come out of the wound and the stitches may loosen up. The area may swell, become fiery red and warm. Sometimes the skin may look shiny, because of how tight it becomes.
The most common cause of worsening pain after an injury is soft tissue damage (perhaps a hematoma?). Internal bleeding in the affected tissues may cause anything between slight tenderness and debilitating pain. Depending on the injury it may take from days to weeks to get better.
Despite that, if you see any of the aforementioned signs, then you'd better visit a doctor once again for clinical examination, particularly if fever occurs.
I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
I doubt that...
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
although localized pain that gets worse over time after an injury may indicate infection, it sounds unlikely. Normally when you have to do stitches the surgeon does a thorough decontamination of the affected area first. And even if some bacteria did survive and caused an infection, it's very unlikely that a doctor could not recognize any sign of them!
In infected trauma there are certain symptoms and signs that may lead to the diagnosis. The patient feels pain that gets worse with time. Pus may come out of the wound and the stitches may loosen up. The area may swell, become fiery red and warm. Sometimes the skin may look shiny, because of how tight it becomes.
The most common cause of worsening pain after an injury is soft tissue damage (perhaps a hematoma?). Internal bleeding in the affected tissues may cause anything between slight tenderness and debilitating pain. Depending on the injury it may take from days to weeks to get better.
Despite that, if you see any of the aforementioned signs, then you'd better visit a doctor once again for clinical examination, particularly if fever occurs.
I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you so much for responding back to me. I understand that tissue along the injury (front foot) would be sore and slighty red by my stitches but the pain in question is my knee. The stitches are healing well. Ihave had no trauma to my knee...can it be possible that the swelling and slight redness has to do with a hematoma that traveled up from my foot to my knee? I have attached a picture of my knee and circled with a pen the slight swelling and redness. When i went to the urgent care the doctor told
Me it could be an inflammed ligament.
Me it could be an inflammed ligament.
Brief Answer:
Seems like Osgood-Schlatter disease...
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome!
I thought that the knee was injured too but I suppose I was wrong! Anyway, since you haven't had any knee injury, the picture you've provided only shows slight redness close to the tibial tubercle. If this is the case then this is probably Osgood-Schlatter disease. This is an inflammatory disorder of the soft tissues (the ligament that inserts in the tibial tubercle). Any quadriceps contraction should cause pain (climbing stairs, squatting, etc). This kind of disorder gets better with time. No treatment besides application of ice packs is required. This is a disease of the adolescents but young adults can be affected too.
Kind Regards!
Seems like Osgood-Schlatter disease...
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome!
I thought that the knee was injured too but I suppose I was wrong! Anyway, since you haven't had any knee injury, the picture you've provided only shows slight redness close to the tibial tubercle. If this is the case then this is probably Osgood-Schlatter disease. This is an inflammatory disorder of the soft tissues (the ligament that inserts in the tibial tubercle). Any quadriceps contraction should cause pain (climbing stairs, squatting, etc). This kind of disorder gets better with time. No treatment besides application of ice packs is required. This is a disease of the adolescents but young adults can be affected too.
Kind Regards!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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