Why Your Knee Feels Swollen and What You Can Do About It

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When your knee feels uncomfortable due to swelling, it’s important to understand that this is abnormal for your body. As such, you may be looking for ways to relieve feelings of discomfort. You rely on your knees to move from one place to another, participate in sports or your favorite active hobbies. That makes taking care of your knees absolutely crucial. Before pulling a simple sleeve over your knee and calling it a day, consider potential causes of knee swelling to help determine your next step.


Reasons for Knee Swelling

Many variables can impact your knees and lead to swelling. Of course, when you do see signs of swelling in and around the knee, be sure to contact a physician before looking at braces or sleeves on your own. They can help you understand your injury better and even offer recommendations based on your injury.

With that in mind, the following concerns are some of the most common reasons for knee swelling, and you don’t have to be an athlete to experience them.

 Recent Injury
A recent injury like falling on your knee, hitting it against another object, or twisting it the wrong way can impact your knee structure. Mild, moderate, or severe—these situations can lead to swelling and bruising. Therefore, you may need to wear knee running support after a mild to moderate injury.

 Torn Ligament
Tears in the ligaments of the knee are common. There are four main ligaments in your knee. A torn ligament can lead to bleeding in the knee, which causes it to swell. In the event of a torn ligament, you’ll definitely want to consult a medical professional.

 Osteoarthritis or Grout
Arthritis is the term for cartilage wear and tear that can cause your body to produce extra joint fluid. As a result, this may lead to gradual knee swelling. Similarly, gout is a form of arthritis that can affect your knees. With arthritic knees, you can wear knee compression sleeves to help distribute weight and support the joint overall.

 Knee Bursitis
With overuse or repetitive stress injuries, the knee’s internal cushions, called bursa, may become inflamed, which can cause swelling. High-impact sports and frequent activity on hard surfaces can lead to bursitis in your knee.

 Infection
Infection can happen after surgery, or when another infection spreads from somewhere else in the body. Infections often lead to inflammation and swelling, regardless of location.

 What You Can Do About It

Now that you’re familiar with some of the most common injuries that can lead to knee swelling, the next step is exploring the different ways to address your situation.

 Get a Diagnosis
If knee discomfort persists, worsens, or is the direct result of a severe injury, you should see a medical professional for a diagnosis. They may order a radiological assessment such as an MRI or blood tests.

 Reduce Activity and Get Rest
Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (R.I.C.E.) may be all you need to address mild knee swelling, if the pain does not increase. Knee compression sleeves are also a good option for walking with mild to moderate knee swelling.

 Use Medication
You can use over-the-counter anti-inflammatories to help reduce inflammation and discomfort in the short term.

 Surgery
If you have a major knee injury, surgery may be necessary. Tears and infections are common reasons for knee surgery. After surgery, you can experience swelling that should dissipate and go away with time.

 Support and Protect the Injury
Supporting and protecting any knee injury should be your top priority. You don’t want to aggravate the injury. Optimize your recovery process by investing in a high-quality knee brace that aligns with your injury and your recovery plan.

 About DonJoy®

 DonJoy® develops and designs sports bracing and physical therapy products you can count on. Manufactured by Enovis, the products from DonJoy, Compex, AirCast®, Chattanooga, and other brands are often recommended by professionals in the field. That means you can trust them for injury prevention and to assist in recovery. Their knee, arm, back, shoulder, and ankle brace options can help with compression, weight distribution, and alignment during sports, active hobbies, and even stationary recovery. By making these products accessible to everyone who needs them, DonJoy ensures you can find the products and information you need to support your physical health. With their Injury Info Center, Bracing Advisor, and Rehab and Therapy category, it’s easy to navigate DonJoy’s website and discover your ideal brace, sleeve, or recovery device.

 Learn more about knee injuries and recovery products from DonJoy at https://www.donjoystore.com/

Location: 5919 Sea Otter Pl Ste 200, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA

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