You’ve suffered a knee injury. Within an hour the knee has swollen. What’s the problem and what can you do about it?

Knees can swell for lots of reasons, but if your knee becomes swollen within an hour of suffering an injury, there’s usually only one cause: bleeding on the knee.

Bleeding on the knee is usually an indication that the injury you’ve sustained is a serious one, and typically one of the following:

1. A fracture
2. A dislocated knee cap (patella)
3. A torn ligament; or
4. A very large meniscal or cartilage tear

What to do next

If you’ve fractured something, you’ll be unable to place weight on your leg and you’ll need immediate attention. Go to A&E.

For any of the other injuries, you’ll still require the urgent attention of your knee consultant in Harrogate. Make an appointment at our Harrogate knee clinic immediately, and certainly within two weeks of injury.

That’s because the faster your orthopaedic specialist is able to diagnose the condition, the faster your treatment can take place, the faster your recovery can begin and, crucially, the better your chances of a complete recovery free from secondary injuries.

The danger of delay

Of course, most of us don’t rush to see our knee surgeon following an injury, particularly if, after a couple of days of ice and rest, the swelling subsides.

This, however, is the crucial time. Ligament tears, for example, don’t heal on their own. Rest may enable you to walk normally again, but it won’t fix the problem. So when you attempt to resume more strenuous activities, the knee will fail again, potentially causing further injury.

See your Harrogate knee doctor

Yorkshire Knee Clinic’s knee specialists serve patients in Harrogate and across Yorkshire.

If you suffer a knee injury and it swells within an hour, there’s internal bleeding. And that means you’ve done something serious. Get expert treatment fast. contact the knee specialists for Harrogate today or phone us on 03453 052 579.