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Brought to your knees: you're limping, but how serious is your knee injury? Go with the flow and diagnose it your own damn self!
Men's Fitness, Oct, 2004 by Peggy Noonan
Wounded knee? Join the club. "Knee pain is the most common joint problem I see," says William O. Roberts, M.D., president of the American College of Sports Medicine. But even though the injury is common, a lot of guys don't know why they have it or what's causing their pain, he says. "They just know their knee hurts."
That's where we, er, step in. We designed the following flowchart to help you immediately diagnose your knee situation. With our advice, you'll know if you need to get yourself to an emergency room or just soak the joint in ice.
Is it just your kneecap [Yes] You're probably stressing out
itself that hurts, rather [right the joint. Overuse injuries
than your whole knee? arrow] are most common in people who
change their workout or who've
recently become more active.
Your best option: Cut back on
[No] whatever it is you're doing,
[down arrow] treat the knee with an ice
pack, and check your shoes for
uneven wear--a sign of joint-
alignment problems. If the
pain doesn't go away, see your
doc.
Is your knee discolored [Yes] Don't worry--you've just got a
or black and blue, [right bruise (the likely byproduct
but otherwise normal arrow] of being hit or kicked in the
(with no swelling)? knee). You may be sore for a
few days, but the mark will
[No] eventually fade on its own.
[down arrow] Take it easy and get back in
the game as soon as you feel
up to it.
Does your knee lock [Yes] You may have cartilage damage
or give out? [right or a torn ligament. Even if
arrow] your knee swells up quickly
after being injured, it's
probably not an emergency--but
consider seeing a doctor
anyway. In the meantime, opt
for the RICE method (rest, ice
[No] compression, and elevation).
[down arrow] Alternate between icing the
knee and wearing a brace to
keep swelling down and, if
possible, keep the knee
elevated for at least three to
four days. "If there's pain,
there's a problem," says
Roberts. "Pain means you're
still injured, so stay off the
knee until the pain is gone."
Are both knees red or [Yes] Call your doctor. You may have
swollen? Do you feel [right a joint infection. Most
nauseous or feverish? arrow] infections are easy to treat
but some can be quite serious
[No] and demand immediate care.
[down arrow]
Did you hear a loud [Yes] Head for the ER--you either
popping sound? Is your [right tore a ligament or, more
knee swollen or bleeding. arrow] likely, blew out your knee.
Are you unable to put Not everybody hears the
weight on the joint? telltale pop of this very
serious injury, but if you
did, your knee may need
immediate emergency surgical
repair.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
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