Knee Swelling After a Motorcycle Accident

Any injury to the knee immediately triggers the sensation of pain. If sensitive nerve endings are injured, there is damage to the knee structures or inflammation– pain symptoms can be started. There are so many ways a motorcycle accident can injure your knee. Some common knee injuries associated with motorcycle accidents are kneecap fracture or dislocation, injury to the anterior cruciate ligament, and meniscal tears. These injuries are typically caused by crushing your knee. The most common way of injuring your knee in a motorcycle accident is landing on a bent knee, twisting your knee, or falling and striking your knee against a hard surface.

In addition to immediate pain, inflammation and swelling also accompany knee injuries. When the tissues are injured, immune cells immediately flock to the area to control the injury. This will trigger other physiological processes, the migration of fluids, and increased blood vessel permeability. The buildup of fluids around the injured tissues causes swelling and increased pain sensation since any tissue distortion can irritate nerve endings. Additionally, swelling increases the temperature around the wounded site, primarily driven by the dilation of blood vessels and the influx of blood. This process is also responsible for the redness that typically accompanies inflammation.

Pain and swelling of the knee typically go away after a few days, but these symptoms can be controlled by pain and anti-inflammatory drugs. You can also apply a cold compress over your knee. This will promote vasoconstriction of the blood vessels and reduce swelling. Ice also causes temporary skin numbness, so it can help with pain reduction. After about three days, you can switch the cold compress for warm packs. This will cause vasodilation and flush away any cell debris and toxins caused by the tissue injury. You can also do some gentle knee exercises and stretches. This can help strengthen your knee muscles and, at the same time, prevent limitations in knee range of motion. However, severe knee injuries may need more than just the therapies mentioned above. Surgery may be required to repair torn ligaments and tendons, reconstruct shattered patella, and stabilize the knee joint.

Here are some common dos and don’ts for swollen knees:

• Do follow the RICE method. This means resting the knee, icing it, compressing, and elevating the swollen knee.
• Do gentle knee exercises. This is to prevent the development of a stiff knee.
• Do use assistive devices if you feel your knee is unstable. Assistive devices can help prevent falls.
• Don’t “baby” your knee too much. The less you move your knee, the higher the risk for knee muscle atrophy and limitations in range of motion. Talk with your doctor regarding this since some knee movements may be contraindicated in your condition.
• Don’t ignore your pain symptoms. You need to revisit your doctor if your knee pain worsens and doesn’t improve with rest, medication, and exercise. Imaging studies may be done to assess the knee structures and look for other factors that may worsen your knee condition.