Ankle Sprain vs. Fracture: 3 Must-Know Warning Signs
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3 Signs It's Time to Seek Professional Care for Knee Pain
Your knee is a complex joint, bearing much of your body weight day after day and year after year. The joint relies on bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles to give it strength and help it twist and rotate, as well as bend and straighten. That’s quite a job.
Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons with Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine treat many types of knee pain, ranging from trauma to chronic arthritis.
Three signs it’s time to seek orthopedic care for knee pain
Knee pain is one of the most common orthopedic complaints that send people to the doctor. If you’ve been uncertain about when to seek orthopedic care for knee pain, the following tips can help.
Severe pain
Perhaps you’ve fallen while playing soccer or another sport. You may have skipped a step on the stairs at home and had a fall. If you’re in severe pain, there’s no time for hesitation.
For sharp pain that doesn’t get better with a bit of rest and ice, call and give us the details. We leave room for emergencies; we'll fit you in.
Redness and/or swelling/tenderness
Is your leg red around the knee area? Is there tenderness or swelling around the kneecap or surrounding area?
An injury to your knee may have caused fluid buildup. Call our office right away. We want to check your knee to make sure there’s no infection. We may need to remove excess fluid.
Non-acute knee pain that doesn’t get better after a few days
Perhaps you’ve suffered a minor knee injury while playing tennis, basketball, or another sport or physical activity. Maybe you slightly twisted your knee while you were gardening.
If you can still walk and perform daily tasks, use the RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) method at home to help calm discomfort. That means taking a break from your sport or activity, icing the knee and using an elastic bandage to calm any swelling, and elevating your leg.
If your knee pain doesn’t get better after a few days, it’s time to call our office. You could have any number of knee injuries that require medical treatment, including a ligament sprain, torn meniscus, instability, a ligament tear, or other condition like arthritis.
Continuing to use the injured knee without getting medical treatment makes you more likely to create more damage, and your knee is going to take longer to heal.
Your treatment plan depends on your specific knee injury. Whether it’s a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), instability, sprain, or other condition like arthritis, we develop an individualized course of treatment that may include prescription medication, injections, physical therapy, regenerative medicine, or joint surgery.
Call Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine or book an appointment online today in West Memphis, Arkansas, or Collierville, Tennessee, if you have unresolved knee pain. We’ll get you back on your feet.
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