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Introduction
The legs, especially the knees, are the most
injury-prone parts of the body. Knee injuries are the
leading cause of long-term disability among athletes.
Knee injuries can take the form of a sprain or a
strain. Sprains result from suddenly stretching or
tearing the ligaments that hold the bones together. A
strain is an injury to the muscles or the tendons that
connect the muscles to the bones. In most cases,
either type of injury will take about 6 to 8 weeks to
heal.
Causes
Sprains are usually caused by an accident,
such as tripping, falling, or twisting the knee.
Strains usually result from overuse.
Symptoms
Knee injuries may show these signs and symptoms:
Pain at rest
Pain with movement
Swelling
Kneecap displaced laterally
Bruising, redness, or warmth
Obvious deformity of the bones
Kneecap is lose and mobile
Treatment
- Avoid putting weight on the knee
- Ice packing and elevating the leg may help with the
swelling.
- Painkillers such as Tylenol or aspirin are helpful.
- Knee must be immobilized using a cylindrical cast
for up to 3 weeks
- After immobilization, range of motion exercises may
be started by a physical therapist to regain
strength.
- In severe cases, arthroscopic (using a camera) knee
surgery or open reconstruction of the knee may be
considered.
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