What Causes Swelling And Pain In Knee After A Fall?

Posted on Sun, 1 Nov 2015

Sun, 1 Nov 2015 Answered on

Mon, 23 Nov 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi. I had a very hard fall on my knee on concrete. My knee is swollen and very painful. It is also very painful to touch on side of leg.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (49 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Can be a bone or soft tissue injury.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
The swelling and pain are suggestive of a bone injury or a soft tissue injury in the area. This can be confirmed after an X-ray and MRI scan of the knee. Till then-
*Rest the knee. Avoid putting excess weight on your knee. You may need to use crutches for a time.

*Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days, or until the pain and swelling is gone.

*Compress your knee. Use an elastic bandage, straps, or sleeves on your knee to control swelling.

*Elevate your knee on a pillow when you're sitting or lying down.

*Wear a knee brace to stabilize the knee and protect it from further injury.

*Take anti-inflammatory painkillers. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Motrin to reduce pain and swelling.

I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL XXXX

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar