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!

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 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning