Knock to knee

RE*AC*TOR

Took a bit of a fall off bike yesterday and my knee sustained quite a blow.

It immediately became very swollen, but I was able to move on it. A large part of the knee became numb and still is to this point (although most of the swelling is gone).

As far as I'm concerned it will sort itself out once all the swelling has gone down, there's no pain, or problem moving on it.

Is there and reason to be concerned? Should I have a doctor look at it?

I realise this is not a medical advise forum, but I'm sure people have had similar experiences and can tell me that I'm on the right track with my reasoning.

Rogueish

Immediate swelling after a blow can be a symptom of something more.

When you got the blow to the knee was your foot planted/stuck in the ground (as in your weight was on the foot and you were wearing football boots)?

Did you hear any pops clicks or other sounds when it happened?

Is it now giving way when you walk?

Do you have full range of motion?

Does the joint lock when you try to bend or straighten it?

If you have answered yes to any of the above (with the exception of the range of motion one) it may be an idea to get the knee checked out as soon as the swelling goes down.

RE*AC*TOR

Foot wasn't planted on the ground - fairly much landed on my knee. Didn't hear any pops clicks. I can walk comfortably enough on it. No range of motion issues (apart from a little stiffness). Not locking.

Its not so much the swelling that bothers me as it was a decent fall and I'm a big guy. Moreso the numbness.

Thanks for the reply.

Kinetic^

Can't hurt to get it x-rayed. Keep ice on ths thing and keep it elevated to get the swelling down as mush as possible.

Rogueish

An x-ray would do no harm just to get it checked out. Just to rule out any possible fractures and get the numbness checked out at the same time. You should find that the numbness should dissipate gradually. Just don't keep ice on it for more than 10mins at a time.

RE*AC*TOR

Anyway i went to my gp - who prescribed diclofenac (anti inflammatory) and sent me to St Vincent's for an xray. Once I got to St Vincents a doctor had a look at me and told me i didn't need an xray. And that was that.

I have somewhat self-diagnosed traumatic prepatellar bursitis. Its hard to tell, but the patella (knee-cap) could be chipped or fractured underneath (hopefully not) - its still somewhat numb.

Rogueish

If you were prescribed an anti-inflammatory gel, get to a physio and ask them to usltrasound the area using the gel. It usually has a very good effect. If you had a fractured patella, trust me you would really know about it. Is the numbness dissipating?

RE*AC*TOR

Rogueish wrote:

If you were prescribed an anti-inflammatory gel, get to a physio and ask them to usltrasound the area using the gel. It usually has a very good effect. If you had a fractured patella, trust me you would really know about it. Is the numbness dissipating?

No gel - just tablets. I thought it was bursitis because it doesn't feel like regular swelling - moreso like a liquid filled balloon under the skin.

Its numb in the areas where the "swelling" is still present. Its numb to normal touch. However, the GP really dug her thumbs in, and that hurt like ****.

Rogueish

http://images.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://medicine.ucsd.edu/clinicalimg/lower-prepatellar-bursitis.jpg&imgrefurl=http://medicine.ucsd.edu/clinicalimg/extremities-prepatellar-bursitis2.html&h=960&w=1280&sz=155&tbnid=BGJHCysydTAeaM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=150&hl=en&start=1&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dprepatellar%2Bbursitis%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

Does it look anything like that?

RE*AC*TOR

exaclty - my legs are a lot hairier though

Rogueish

Got to a physio so and get it ultrasounded if there is no improvement within 7days go back to your GP and get him/her to aspirate it (draw the fluid out using a syringe) and wash it out with a corticosteroid (strong anti-inflammatory properties). Ease off the cycling/exercise for a while to let it settle down