Question 9 Of : Do I Need To See A Doctor
How Long Does It Take To Recover From A Knee Sprain
Rehabilitation varies based on the injured ligament and how it is treated. The most important part of the healing process is getting you back to normal before resuming activities.
Rehabilitation will include a light to moderate physical therapy program, depending on your level of pain. This is necessary to improve joint stability, full range of motion and your knee strength. Recovery time is dependent on the ligament injured and the severity of the injury.
Key Points About Knee Strain Or Sprain
- A knee sprain damages ligaments, while a strain damages the knees tendons or muscles.
- Strains often result from overuse or a sudden increase in pressure on the joint, while sprains often result from falls or collisions during contact sports other physical activities.
- Knee strains or sprains can cause swelling, pain and tenderness in the affected knee, as well as buckling and trouble bending the knee.
- While many strains and sprains can be treated at home, you should call your doctor immediately if your knee pain is so severe that you cannot walk or bend the knee.
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The Severity Of The Sprain
Mild sprains take 4 weeks on average.
Here, the ligament stretched but didnt tear. You can bear weight on your injured leg. Theres a little bruising, but you can do your usual activities.
Moderate sprains can take 10-20 weeks to heal.
The ligament tore, but not completely. You may feel a popping sound at the moment of injury. It can be hard to bear weight on the leg. There can be some instability too.
Severe sprains take several months.
The ligament tore completely, so it wont stabilize the knee. The knee will probably give out under you. Severe bruising and swelling appear during the first 24 hours.
The recovery time will also depend on:
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What Is The Recovery Time For A Knee Injury
The recovery time for a knee injury depends on the type and severity of the injury. If the injury is significant enough to require surgery and/or physical therapy, the recovery time will be longer.
Simple strains or sprains can last for one to two weeks. More extensive injuries requiring arthroscopic surgery may take one to three months to heal.
Major traumatic injuries to the knee may take up to a year to heal.
Following the doctor’s instructions for rest, immobilization, staying off your feet, and avoiding exercise that aggravates the injuries will help speed recovery.
Physical therapy can also speed recovery time. It is important to follow directions of your physical therapist to insure you are doing the exercises correctly and attaining the best results.
Chronic knee injuries that do not require surgery may flare up from time to time. Physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and cortisone injections are used to provide temporary relief.
Medicines For Knee Injuries
Over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, can help with the pain if you injure your knee. You can also use anti-inflammatory gels and creams to help with pain relief.
Your doctor may prescribe stronger painkillers containing codeine if your pain is very bad.
Always read the patient information that comes with your medicine and if you have questions, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice.
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Apple Cider Vinegar And Other Foods
According to some sources, apple cider vinegar has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve arthritis and other types of pain.
However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support this. The Arthritis Foundation refers to ACV as a food myth.
Other popular advice for arthritis includes:
- consuming collagen, gelatin, or pectin, and raw foods.
- avoiding dairy, acidic foods, and nightshade vegetables, such as tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant
There is no evidence to suggest that these are helpful or even advisable.
Pain at the front of the knee is one of the most common aches and pains. It is second only to lower back pain around a quarter of people will get it at some point in their lives.
It commonly affects teenagers, especially young female athletes. It is the most common overuse syndrome in sportspeople.
Most cases of front knee pain are injuries from overuse, or from poor preparation for exercise. The problems usually go away on their own, and sporting activities can resume after the pain subsides.
The pain varies but tends to:
- be a dull ache that starts gradually, and is linked to activities
- produce clicking or other sounds
- come on when going upstairs, or when getting up after a long time sitting, squatting down, or kneeling
- produce a weakness in the legs
Recommended treatments for front knee pain include:
Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sprains, and gout are some of the most common causes of knee pain.
Knee Strain Or Sprain Symptoms
Knee strains and sprains can range from moderate to severe, and symptoms will vary accordingly.
General symptoms of a knee strain or sprain include:
- Swelling, pain and tenderness in and around the knee
- Buckling of the knee
- Trouble bending the leg
Symptoms of a knee sprain will further depend upon which ligament, or ligaments, have been torn.
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How To Select A Knee Brace
While many knee braces can be purchased over the counter, it is best to speak to your healthcare provider first so that you select the style that is most appropriate for your condition. In addition, braces are typically meant to be short-term treatment and are usually administered in tandem with other interventions like physical therapy or surgery.
Caring For Your Knee At Home Over The Long Term
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How You Should Heal A Knee Injury
If you do find yourself with a hurt knee, heres what you should do:
- Look for signs of severe injury. If theres swelling or you cant walk on the leg, see a sports medicine or orthopedic doctor for treatment.
- Practice RICE. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation are usually recommended to help promote healing and flexibility in a knee injury.
- Take an OTC pain reliever. A low-dose anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen or naproxen can help treat pain and swelling in a patient that has no allergy or contraindication to its use, Bayes says. Schulz says he commonly tells patients to take vitamin D to help promote healing. Ask your doctor if OTC meds and supplements are right for you.
- Consider physical therapy. A professional PT can help you get on the mend using stretches, exercises, and other methods.
What if youve tried and tried but still feel like your knee injury isnt healing?
Injuries that fail to recover with rest, ice, compression, and elevation and time may be more serious, Schulz says. Seek a medical evaluation if an injury persists.
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Should Not: Engage In High
While exercising is important for your joint health, it is also important not to go overboard. High-impact workouts apply high stress on your joints, especially knees, which can lead to severe damage and even an injury.
It is best to stick to low-impact workouts or any exercise that doesnt demand a lot from your joint. That would also help you to find a cure for arthritis in the knees.
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What Is Knee Pain
The knee is a joint that permits the leg to bend and straighten. Knee pain is common due to injury, age-related degeneration, inflammation, and infection.
What Are Symptoms of Knee Pain?
Symptoms of knee pain include:
- Sudden, intense pain at the knee
- Swelling
- Inability to bend or fully straighten the knee
- Clicking, crunching, or catching sound in the knee joint when walking
Signs knee pain may be serious include:
- Extreme pain
Knee injuries are relatively common and come in many different varieties. Whether its a tear to a ligament or tendon, damage to a bone or its cartilage, or subluxation of the joint itself, a wide array of structures can be involved. Because of this, an equally high number of treatments exist to address the subsequent symptoms of your knee injury.
From conservative and at-home options to more invasive procedures, each intervention has the potential to improve your condition in the right circumstances. To find out more, read about the details of each treatment in the sections below.
When You Should See A Doctor
As we said before, pain in your knees usually goes away without medical treatment with these at home knee pain treatment measures.
However, there are a few reasons you should see the doctor.
See your doctor if:
- your pain doesnt get better after a few weeks
- you cant move your knee at all
- you cant put weight on your knee
- your knee locks, clicks painfully or gives way
Your doctor can usually diagnose your knee pain from your symptoms and a physical examination of your knee.
Sometimes tests or a scan will help confirm a diagnosis, especially if they think further, more specialized treatment may be needed.
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What Happens After A Knee Ligament Repair
After the surgery you will be taken to the recovery room for observation.Your recovery process will vary depending on the type of anesthesia that isgiven. Once your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and youare alert, you will be taken to your hospital room or discharged to yourhome. Knee ligament repair is usually done on an outpatient basis.
You may be given crutches and a knee immobilizer before you go home.
Once you are home, it is important to keep the surgical area clean and dry.Your healthcare provider will give you specific bathing instructions. Thestitches or surgical staples will be removed during a follow-up officevisit.
Take a pain reliever for soreness as recommended by your healthcareprovider. Aspirin or certain other pain medicines may increase the chanceof bleeding. Be sure to take only recommended medicines.
To help reduce swelling, you may be asked to elevate your leg and apply anice bag to the knee several times per day for the first few days. Yourhealthcare provider will arrange for an exercise program to help you regainmuscle strength, stability, and range of motion.
Notify your healthcare provider to report any of the following:
-
Fever or chills
-
Redness, swelling, bleeding, or other drainage from the incision site
-
Increased pain around the incision site
You may resume your normal diet unless your healthcare provider advises youdifferently.
Buy A Topical Pain Reliever In The Store:
There are a lot of over-the-counter products that will help you ease pain. For example, prescription creams, sprays and patches are effective and available. They can work for the arthritis pain because they contain ingredients, including menthol, capsaicin, salicylates. However, you should ask the doctor if the medicines are right for you and if they have any downside effects.
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Risk Factors For Knee Sprain Include:
- Athletic activity. Especially if youre a young athlete or student athlete, and particularly if you ski, dance, cheer, or play football, basketball, or soccer. Wrestlers are also at risk for knee injury because they fall onto their knees and sides frequently.
- ACL injury in females is more common due to factors that researchers are still trying to understand.
- Skipping cool downs, warm ups, and stretching. Not properly conditioning and before and after workouts can lead to tissue injury of all kinds, including sprains.
- Weekend warrior syndrome. Do you only participate in sports on the weekends, but are mainly sedentary during the week? If so, your muscles, tendons, and ligaments may be tight or cold, and you may be more prone to sudden overstretching and injury when you do get up and get active. Weekend warriors need to take extra care to stay in condition between major workout sessions.
What Exercises Are Recommended And What Exercises Should Be Avoided During Rehabilitation For A Knee Injury
During physical therapy for rehabilitation of a knee injury, the patient will be given specific exercises by the physical therapist in order to strengthen and stabilize the knee joint. These exercises include strengthening the front of the thigh , back of the thigh , calf, and hip. Consult your doctor and your physical therapist before starting any exercise program. Your physical therapist should insure you perform the exercises properly before doing them on your own.
If you have any pain or discomfort while doing prescribed exercises, see your doctor or physical therapist.
Some exercises your physical therapist may recommend include the following:
- Quad sets
- Straight-leg raise to the front
- Straight-leg raise to the back
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons has an exercise guide that includes directions and pictures. Consult your doctor or physical therapist before trying any of these exercises on your own.
Some exercises to avoid following knee injury include the following:
- Full-arc knee extensions
These exercises can further stress already damaged knee joints.
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What Is A Sprain
Every joint in the body has bands of tissue that holds them together. These bands are called ligaments. When the ligaments turn outside of their normal range of motion, they overstretch and experience micro-tearing. The body responds by creating inflammation and going through a healing process to stitch the tissue back together.
In ankles, the ligaments on the outside of the joint are the most likely to be injured. In knees, any of the ligaments can be injured because the knee rotates in several different ways, but the inner knee tends to be more common.
Immediate Treatment For A Suspected Knee Sprain
A knee injury can cause significant pain and swelling within seconds. The RICE method and anti-inflammatory medications can help reduce these symptoms while waiting for medical attention:
- The R.I.C.E. method can help to stabilize the leg and decrease pain both before and after medical evaluation. This includes.
- Rest: Resting the affected knee minimizes the risk of further injury or damage to the joint.
- Ice: An ice pack wrapped in a towel or a cool compress can be applied to the affected knee in fifteen minute intervals, pausing between each session to avoid damaging the skin. Icing the joint helps to reduce any swelling that is present.
- Compression: Wrapping an elasticized bandage around the knee can provide mild compression of the joint and help reduce localized inflammation. Patients are advised not to wrap the bandage so tight it is painful or cuts off circulation.
- Elevate. The injured knee should be elevated with a pillow or other soft object. This will prevent blood from pooling in the injured area and contributing to the swelling.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen, may be given to the athlete in order to reduce swelling in the affected knee.
Read more about The P.R.I.C.E. Protocol Principles
In order to ensure that the knee joint and ligaments are not damaged further, it is important that medical attention is sought before returning to weight-bearing activities or athletic training or competition.
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