Knee Swelling
Knee Swelling
Knee swelling due to sports injuries, medical ailments and old age has become a more common condition, more so now a days than ever before. The knee is the largest joint in the body and consists of two moveable joints between the femur and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. The knee is a pivotal hinge which allows the leg to flex and extend. It also carries the weight of the whole body and is very susceptible to injury and joint degeneration. With this in mind, the last thing anyone wants to deal with is the pain and discomfort associated to Sudden Knee Swelling.
The Anatomy of the Knee:
This joint is made up of 3 functional parts:
- femoropatellar articulation (patella, patellar groove)
- medial femorotibial articulation
- lateral femorotibial articulation
The femoropatellar is part of the femur and medial and the lateral femorotial is what links the thigh bone to the lower leg.
Knee Swelling Injuries:
The most common Knee Problems which occur are those received in sporting activities. It’s not uncommon to hear or read in the news that your favourite sports star was stretchered off the field due to a knee injury. Also the day to day common activates that we take for granted such as walking up stairs or climbing in and out of a vehicle, can cause the knee swelling up. Patellofemoral syndrome also known as runner knee is one of the most common injuries which results in the knee swelling. Trauma of any of the for mentioned 3 parts which makes up your knee joint can lead to knee inflammation and the added discomfort of knee pain.
Not all knee injuries are the result of day to day or sporting activates. As you get older you may end up with a medical conditional called arthritis. The most common of these is osteoarthritis. You can also suffer from this if the knee receives trauma or you get an infection in the knee joint causing the Knee Swelling and Pain in the joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a problem that some people get which attacks the body’s tissue. Unfortunately with rheumatoid arthritis it’s the body’s immune system which is doing the attacking and is a very serious problem as it can attack all the joints in the body. There is no cure for this disease, but drugs are available to help deal with the symptoms.
Gout is another knee swelling condition which is becoming a common cause of knee problems. Uric acid crystals build up in the joints causing severe discomfort and immobilization and knee swelling of the knee joint. Gout can cause the sufferer temporary loss of movement of the joint due to severe pain and in some cases, cause hospitalization.
Knee Swelling Prevention:
Diet and regular exercise is a key factor in preventing knee related injuries and ailments. Light exercise can drastically reduce the chance of injuries resulting in knee swelling, also remember to completely warm up before undertaking any knee exercise and seek medical advice before starting any exercise routine. As pointed out earlier in the article, our knee carries the weight of our body and is prone to problems through every day common use, which is why a healthy diet to help slow down the degeneration process and regular low impact exercises such as swimming are vital to this process.
Knee Swelling Treatment:
Treatment of a knee swelling injury depends a lot on the injury itself. For minor injuries resulting in inflammation of the knee you can Reduce Knee Swelling use the medical treatment – R.I.C.E
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation
But for serious injuries it’s advisable to see seek medical assistance in the first case which can lead to result in seeing a specialist. It’s highly advisable that with any injury to your knee regardless if it’s minor or serious to seek medical advice. A minor injury now could result in serious complications later on down the track. If you’re unfortunate enough to suffer a serious injury such as an ACL dislocation, there is a high chance you could end up in hospital and end up having to go through surgery. Knee Swelling after Surgery may develope but this can be treated.
Patellofemoral syndrome is a pain at the back of the kneecap, and is a sports injury resulting from continuous weight bearing impact from activates such as jogging. Exercise of the quadriceps is recommended to help the patella. Stretching exercises can also help but strengthen the muscles around the knee but if possible, exercise which reduces the impact of this area such as swimming is recommended. If you do find yourself engaging in sporting activates which involve high impact of the knee area, it’s advisable to wear knee supporting gear.
With arthritis most of the treatments will be recommended by your doctor. The use of pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs to help with the pain and knee swelling is usually prescribed, but there is no cure for rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
In some cases surgery is performed in degeneration types of arthritis. It should also be noted that studies undertaken in the area of arthritis, that physical exercise has helped increase long term pain relief. It has also shown to help with the arthritic people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Occupational therapy is another form of treatment that can help people who have difficulties performing simple everyday activates that puts stress on the joints such as taking a bath, getting dressed, bending over to pick things up or even walking up steps. Occupational therapy helps reduce the pain and minimize joints damage by pin pointing the areas which cause discomfort and providing exercises specific to that area to help mobilize the joint resulting in easier and less painful momentum.