What Is A Skinned Knee?
A skinned knee is a painful condition caused by repetitive trauma to your kneecap. Your kneecap is the bone that connects your thighbone (femur) with your shinbone (tibia). The kneecap is located between the tarsal bones (shinbones), which are connected through ligaments and tendons. These ligaments and tendons provide support for the joint. If these ligaments or tendons become damaged, it causes pain when walking or even sitting down.
How Do I Know If My Kneecap Has Been Hurt?
If you have a sore knee, then there is no doubt that something has happened to your kneecap. You may feel like you can’t bend forward because of the pain. You may not be able to bend your knees far enough to touch the ground. Even if you do manage to get up, you will still have some discomfort.
Your doctor might suspect that something has happened to your kneecap after examining your knee. Sometimes a physical examination reveals a small tear in the cartilage of the kneecap. Other times, surgery is needed to repair this problem.
Does A Skinned Knee Heal Itself?
In most cases, a skinned knee heals just fine on its own. All you need to do is give the wound time to close up. This usually takes about two to three weeks, but it can take even longer. During that time you should keep the skinned knee elevated as much as possible. You might also consider taking an over-the-counter pain medication to help you deal with the pain.
Another way to relieve the pain is to gently run cold water over the knee. You can do this by placing your skinned knee under a running faucet. Don’t place ice on it because this can cause other problems. Try to keep any weight off of the skinned knee for at least 48 hours.
Does A Skinned Knee Need Medical Attention?
There are many times when a skinned knee doesn’t need medical attention. If the flesh wound is shallow, it can be handled at home. If you are uncertain about the seriousness of the wound, you might want to visit a medical professional in order to get a proper assessment.
How Do I Deal With A Skinned Knee When It Is In The Healing Process?
Not every skinned knee heals at the same rate. Some may take less time than others, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is completely healed. If you have had a skinned knee in the past, you should be aware of the signs that your body is giving you. This way you can tell if you need to see a medical professional, even if it has been quite some time since the injury.
There are also external factors that impact the healing process. For instance, an injury to one limb can affect another one. If this is the case, then you should tell your doctor about any previous injuries. It could help them come to a better diagnosis.
How Do I Treat A Skinned Knee?
If you suspect that you have a skinned knee, there are a number of ways to treat the problem. It mainly depends on the type of injury and your own physical limitations. If you know what is wrong and how it happened, this can help your medical professional choose the best treatment plan.
Treatment plans can include: bandaging the wound, giving you crutches or a cane, prescribing an anti-inflammatory medication, draining any blood or fluid accumulation around the knee, giving you a skin graft or performing surgery to repair torn ligaments.
How Can I Prevent A Skinned Knee In The Future?
Skinned knees are a common occurrence for children. One of the best ways to keep this from happening is to closely supervise them whenever they are outside. Kids tend to put things in their mouths and have a natural tendency to explore their surroundings by touching, grabbing, climbing and falling. This means that any type of puddle, mud puddle, hill or playground equipment could potentially be a hazard.
Additionally, wearing protective gear can help prevent a skinned knee. This includes things like: kneepads, elbow pads and helmets for children who participate in sports or other potentially dangerous outdoor activities.
When To Call A Medical Professional
It is generally safe to treat a skinned knee at home. Once you have taken care of the wound, kept the injured body part elevated and are experiencing less pain, you can stop worrying about it. However, there may be times when you should seek medical attention.
If you have a deep cut, see signs of infection (such as redness, swelling or pus formation) or have pain that won’t go away with rest, call your medical professional. If it has been a long time since your injury, but you are noticing new signs of problems, talk to your medical professional as soon as possible.
Skinned Knee FAQs
Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about skinned knees:
How Long Does It Take For A Skinned Knee To Heal?
It really depends on the skinned knee. Minor scrapes and cuts usually heal in a day or two with minimal scarring. More serious scrapes and cuts may take weeks to months to fully heal. During this time, the victim may feel some pain and there may be a little bit of scarring.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Skinned Knee?
Pain is usually one of the main symptoms. Other signs to watch for include: swelling, redness, bruising, a wet sounding snap when you move the affected body part and limited mobility.
What Is The Treatment For A Skinned Knee?
The best way to treat a skinned knee is to take pain medication, make sure the wound is kept clean and covered, apply an ice pack and elevate the body part. Most scrapes and cuts should heal within a week or two. You may have to change your activity level so you don’t put too much weight on the knee.
How Do I Prevent A Skinned Knee?
The best way to prevent a skinned knee is to be careful. Look where you are going and pay attention to the surface you are walking on. If there are small children around, keep an eye on them and make sure they aren’t climbing on things they shouldn’t. If you are outside, wear proper clothing and footwear.
Do I Need To See A Doctor For A Skinned Knee?
Unless the injury is very severe, it is safe to treat skinned knees at home. It is generally safe to take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief and there are over-the-counter treatments that you can apply to the wound to help it heal faster. Children tend to be accident prone, so it is important to keep the wound clean. If there are any signs of an infection, such as redness, heat, swelling or pus, you may want to seek medical attention.
How Can I Prevent My Child From Getting A Skinned Knee?
Children tend to be clumsy and often act without thinking. It is important that you keep an eye on them and make sure they are wearing the proper clothing and footwear. If they participate in sports or other outdoor activities, they need to wear protective gear.
Learn More About Skinned Knees And Common Injuries From Your Nationwide Insurance Agent
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Sources & references used in this article:
Topical antimicrobial therapy for treating chronic wounds by BA Lipsky, C Hoey – Clinical infectious diseases, 2009 – academic.oup.com
Rebuilding attachments with traumatized children: Healing from losses, violence, abuse, and neglect by R Kagan – 2014 – books.google.com
Healing the American Indian soul wound by E Duran, B Duran, MYHB Heart… – International handbook of …, 1998 – Springer
Cuts and Scrapes: What You Can Treat and When You Need a Doctor by S Santorelli – 2010 – Harmony
The coming of age of self-mutilation by M Calvagna, RJ Stahl – excelahealth.org
