About this topic
The knee is a large, complex joint. It is made up of four bones: the thigh bone, two lower leg bones, and the kneecap. There is a capsule around the joint. Cartilage lines the surfaces of the bone to help the joint glide easier. There are also two wedges of cartilage called menisci. These act like shock absorbers in the knee. The knee has two side ligaments. They are the medial and lateral collateral ligaments. The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments are in the middle of the knee. Ligaments are bands of tissue that join one bone to another. Sometimes, ligaments and cartilage may rupture, tear, or strain. This may cause a problem with normal knee joint movement. This is internal derangement of the 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 your knee. Avoid activities that make the problem worse.
- 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.
- Use a knee brace or neoprene sleeve for support and to lessen swelling. Your doctor may suggest you wrap the knee lightly with elastic bandages. These will give support and lower swelling.
- Use crutches, walker, or a cane if told to do so by your doctor. Be sure you know how much weight you are able to put on your injured leg. Sometimes, you will not be allowed to put any weight on your injured leg.
- Do exercises for stretching and strengthening that your doctor or therapist teaches you to do.
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.
- You may also need to see a physical therapist (PT). The PT will teach you exercises to help you get back your strength and motion.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
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. If you run, work out, or play sports, you may not be able to do those things until your health problem gets better. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Loss of knee movement
- Ongoing pain and stiffness
- Trouble walking
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Take care of your muscles.
- Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.
- Warm up slowly and stretch your muscles before you work out. Use good ways to train, such as slowly adding to how far you run. Do not work out if you are overly tired. Take extra care if working out in cold weather.
- Use caution when doing activities that could result in twisting, sudden stops and starts, and blows to the knee. Sports such as basketball, skiing, football, and running are some common sports that can lead to knee injuries.
- Use the right equipment when playing sports.
- Avoid running on hard or uneven surfaces.
- Try activities like swimming or biking rather than running. Running can put a lot of stress on your knee joint.
- When jumping, turning, or landing, make sure your knees are slightly bent rather than fully straight.
- Take care of your feet.
- Wear shoes with good support. Replace your shoes often.
- If you have flat feet, get shoe inserts for your shoes. These are called orthotics. Foot problems can cause problems in the knee.
- Protect your knees.
- Take breaks often when doing things that use repeat movements.
- If your knee pain is due to overuse, do not do movements that caused the problem if possible.
- 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.
- Keep a healthy weight so there is not extra stress on your joints. Eat a healthy diet to keep your muscles healthy.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Worsening knee pain
- Trouble walking
- Numbness of the leg or foot
- 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 condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain, trouble walking, or numbness in my leg or foot.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00325 ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00358 ‚
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. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚