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Chronic Knee Pain Discharge Instructions


About this topic


The knee is a large, complex joint. It is made up of 4 bones: the thigh bone, two lower leg bones, and the kneecap. There is a capsule around the joint. Cartilage acts like a shock absorber in the knee. The knee also has ligaments and tendons. Ligaments are bands of tissue that join one bone to another. Tendons are bands of tissue that join muscles to the bone. There are many muscles around the knee and in front and back of the thigh. If there is a problem with any of these parts of the joint, you can have pain in your knee. ‚  


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What care is needed at home?


  • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
  • Rest. Allow your injury to heal before you do slow movements.
  • Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
  • Prop your leg on pillows to help with swelling.
  • Brace or neoprene sleeve for support and swelling
  • Heat may be used later but not right away. Heat can make swelling worse. If your doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on the painful part for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.

What follow-up care is needed?


Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. Your doctor may send you to physical therapy to help you heal faster. ‚  

What drugs may be needed?


The doctor may order drugs to: ‚  
  • Help with pain and swelling
  • Fight an infection

The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚  

Will physical activity be limited?


You may need to rest your knee for a while. You should not do physical activity that makes your health problem worse. Talk to your doctor if you run, work out, or play sports. You may not be able to do those things until your health problem gets better. ‚  

What can be done to prevent this health problem?


  • If your knee pain is due to overuse, do not do movements that caused the problem if possible.
  • Take breaks often when doing things that use repeat movements.
  • Do not sit or keep your knee in one position for long periods of time.
  • If you sleep on your side, use a pillow in between your legs. This can help take stress off of the knee.
  • Always warm up and stretch before a workout and cool down after.
  • If you are a runner, stretch before a run. Use good ways to train, such as slowly adding to how far you run.
  • Run on softer surfaces such as a track. This is easier on your knee than a hard surface like cement.
  • Try activities like swimming or biking rather than running. Running can put a lot of stress on your knee joint.
  • Stay away from activities that could result in twisting, sudden stops and starts, and blows to the knee. Sports such as basketball, skiing, football, and jogging are some common sports that can lead to knee injuries.
  • Wear shoes with good support. Replace your shoes often.
  • Keep a healthy weight . Being too heavy puts more stress on the knee joint. This makes the knee more at risk for injury.
  • Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.

When do I need to call the doctor?


  • Pain or swelling gets worse
  • Not able to walk
  • Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse

Teach Back: Helping You Understand


The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚  
  • I can tell you about my pain.
  • I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
  • I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain or swelling or I am not able to walk.

Where can I learn more?


American College of Sports Medicine ‚  
http://www.acsm.org/access-public-information/articles/2012/01/10/basic-knee-injury-prevention ‚  
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases ‚  
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Knee_Problems/knee_problems_ff.asp ‚  
NHS Choices ‚  
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/knee-pain/Pages/Introduction.aspx ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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