How to Identify a Knee Sprain

A knee sprain is a common injury, particularly among individuals who engage in high-intensity physical activity. It occurs when the ligaments are stretched beyond their normal limits, often due to excessive movement or an injury caused by trauma or an accident. When a knee sprain occurs, you may tear the muscle fibers or damage the tendons due to overstretching. Pain is typically felt immediately after the injury or can be delayed for several hours. If you suspect you have sprained your knee, it's important to recognize the symptoms and understand how to assess the condition, as well as the potential issues that may arise in diagnosing and treating the injury.

Check for inflammation and pain. Inflammation is the body’s initial response to repair damage. To heal, the body often shows signs such as swelling, pain, warmth, or redness. Place your hand on your knee to check for warmth, swelling, or redness. Also, see if you experience any pain or tenderness.

• The warmth you feel in the affected area is due to increased blood flow bringing heat from the body's core to the cooler peripheral tissues.
• Inflammation often occurs as the body responds to tissue damage, increasing the activity of white blood cells.
• Redness happens due to the higher blood flow directed to the injury.
• Sometimes, the area may not be red, but it may bruise or change color due to twisting or stretching that caused a strain or overstretching.

Pay attention to joint stiffness or reduced range of motion. After a knee injury, the affected area is often stiff, and its range of motion becomes limited. Try standing on your uninjured leg and gently lift your injured leg to see if the knee feels weak or unstable. The knee may feel very fragile or shaky.

Check for numbness or muscle spasms. Sometimes an injury can cause numbness in the affected area or result in occasional muscle spasms. Check if you feel a tingling sensation around the knee or the surrounding area due to the injury.

Listen for sounds and observe knee flexibility. Carefully move your leg and pay attention to any unusual sounds like cracking or popping coming from the knee. Such sounds could indicate a tear. While checking for strange sounds, see if you can fully extend your leg. The inability to straighten the leg fully and the knee is a clear sign of a sprain.

Determine if the knee can bear weight. When muscles and tendons are injured, they may not be as strong as before. Try standing on your injured leg to see if it can support your body weight or if the leg buckles under pressure. Another test is to walk or climb stairs to see if you can move easily. If muscles, tendons, or ligaments are damaged, these movements will be difficult and painful.

Review relevant medical history. When visiting the doctor, it’s important to inform them of any past joint issues, previous surgical complications, inflammation or injuries, and your current level of physical activity.

• Remember any past incidents of falls, walking or running on uneven surfaces, twisting or turning your ankle or foot, missing a step, or sudden forces impacting your knee.

Examine knee ligaments. The doctor may conduct several tests to assess the knee ligaments. Checking ligament function is vital as ligaments help stabilize the knee. The doctor may examine: the knee joint ligaments, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).

• Tests like the varus and valgus stress tests will assess the ligaments on the inside and outside of the knee.
• The posterior drawer test will evaluate the PCL.
• Lachman test, anterior drawer test, and pivot shift test help assess the ACL.
• If the ligament tests indicate potential meniscus issues, the McMurray test may be performed.
• If these clinical tests cause significant pain, the doctor might ask for a range-of-motion test to assess knee joint laxity. However, this is extremely rare.

Perform additional tests if the doctor suspects more serious damage. The doctor will conduct a physical examination to evaluate the pain, swelling, knee stability, and mobility. At this point, the doctor may recommend further tests, such as X-rays, MRI, or ultrasound imaging, to get a more detailed view of your knee condition.

• These tests will only be performed if the ligament tests do not clarify the issue.
• X-rays can help identify fractures.
• MRIs provide a closer look at the internal structures of the knee to check for swelling or soft tissue damage.
• Ultrasound imaging can be used to capture pictures of the knee’s soft tissues and is also a therapeutic tool.

Relieve pain, swelling, and fever with medication. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to reduce pain, swelling, or inflammation associated with knee sprains. It's important to consult a doctor before taking any medication, as these drugs may cause kidney problems or bleeding. If over-the-counter medications are ineffective, prescribed medications may be needed.

Hạn chế cử động để bảo vệ khớp. Nghỉ ngơi sau chấn thương là điều quan trọng, nhưng thường thì bạn vẫn phải cử động. Hãy dùng các dụng cụ hỗ trợ như nẹp, dây đai, băng hoặc nạng để hạn chế cử động trong thời gian chờ đầu gối hồi phục. Các dụng cụ này còn giúp giảm đau vì chúng hạn chế cử động của đầu gối. Bác sĩ cũng có thể khuyên bạn tránh đặt trọng lượng cơ thể lên chân đau trong 48 tiếng.

Nâng cao và giữ yên đầu gối. Để kiểm soát cơn đau, bạn nên nâng cao và giữ yên đầu gối. Đặt đầu gối cao hơn tim để giảm lưu lượng máu dồn đến chỗ bị thương.

• Thử ngồi dựa trên ghế có chỗ gác chân với vài chiếc gối kê bên dưới đầu gối hoặc nằm trên giường và kê gối dưới đầu gối.

Chườm đá và băng ép đầu gối. Để giảm đau và sưng, bạn hãy chườm đá và băng ép ổn định đầu gối. Dùng túi chườm đá hoặc túi đựng đá đập vụn chườm mỗi lần không quá 20 phút. Bạn có thể chườm như vậy cách 1 tiếng một lần. Chườm đá giúp mô không tổn thương thêm. Băng ép giúp giảm sưng và đau.

• Chườm đá trong 48 tiếng đầu tiên sau chấn thương đầu gối.

Quấn đầu gối bằng băng đàn hồi. Việc quấn băng đàn hồi hoặc băng ép như băng ACE có thể giúp cải thiện sự lưu thông máu đến vùng bị thương và cũng hỗ trợ cho đầu gối. Bạn có thể tự quấn hoặc nhờ chuyên viên y tế quấn giúp.

Tập vật lý trị liệu để chữa bong gân đầu gối. Tùy vào mức độ nghiêm trọng, bác sĩ có thể để nghị bạn tập vật lý trị liệu. Bạn sẽ được học các bài tập để giảm đau cũng như cải thiện sức mạnh và tầm vận động.

Seek emergency medical attention if certain symptoms arise. In some situations, you may need to visit the emergency room due to a knee injury. Get immediate medical help if you:

• Cannot bear weight on the injured leg or feel unstable.
• Experience redness or red streaks radiating from the injured area.
• Reinjure the same spot where you've previously been hurt.
• The sprain appears severe.