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Feb 13, 2024 · For example, experts estimate that around 80% of people who tear their ACL also bruise a bone in their knee joint. Bone bruises can affect any bone in your body, but they’re more common in longer bones, especially in your legs, including your: Femur (thigh bone). Tibia (shin bone). Fibula (calf bone).
- Overview
- What is a bruise?
- What do knee bruises look and feel like?
- Causes of knee bruises
- How to treat a bruised knee
- How long do bruised knees take to heal?
- How to tell the difference between a bruised knee and a fracture
- When to seek medical help
- Summary
Most knee bruises are mild and heal on their own, but some can be severe. Steps that can support healing include rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). However, some bruises may need medical attention.
This article explores how bruises form, how to treat them, and how to tell if a bruise could be a sign of a more severe injury, such as a fracture.
A bruise or contusion forms when small blood vessels under the skin break, but the skin remains intact. Blood leaks out of these broken capillaries into the surrounding soft tissues, which causes discoloration.
There are three types of bruises:
•subcutaneous, which occur just under the skin’s surface
•intramuscular, occurring within the underlying muscle
•bone bruises, which are an injury to the bone
A bone bruise is typically the most painful type of bruise. Doctors can only detect these using magnetic resonance imaging, as they are not easily visible on X-rays.
A bruise on the knee may appear black, blue, or purple on lighter skin, or dark purple or brown on darker skin. Bruises may change color as they heal, turning yellow or green.
A knee bruise may also trigger symptoms such as:
•pain and tenderness
•swelling
•stiffness
•weakness
Bruises to the knee generally occur from direct and blows to the body involving something blunt. This may occur due to a fall or when a person bangs their knee into something hard.
Bruising can also develop alongside other types of injury, such as fractures, broken bones, torn tendons, or dislocated joints.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) may help reduce symptoms and aid healing.
•Rest: rest the knee joint
•Ice: cool the area with a compress or ice pack wrapped in a towel for 20 minutes at a time, several times per day
•Compression: lightly wrap the knee in a soft bandage
•Elevation: Raise the knee above the level of the heart, if possible, to prevent blood from pooling
Do not apply ice directly to the skin, or try to drain the bruise of blood using a needle. If there is a large lump that does not decrease in size after several days, a doctor may need to drain it.
A bruised knee will usually heal within around 2–4 weeks. A bone bruise may take as long as 1–2 months or longer if the bruise is large.
Sometimes, a direct blow to the knee causes a sprain or a kneecap fracture. It may be difficult to tell the difference between these injuries.
A kneecap or patella fracture can cause:
•pain on and around the kneecap
•pain when moving the knee in any direction
•swelling
•difficulty extending the leg
A person should speak with a doctor if:
•a knee bruise does not improve within 2–4 weeks
•they develop a large hematoma on the knee that does not decrease in size after a few days
•their knee shows signs of a fracture or more serious injury, such as severe pain or swelling
•they develop red or purple or discolored patches that are not due to an injury
•the knee shows signs of infection, such as swelling, pus, and warmth
A bruised knee is typically a minor injury that heals on its own in a few weeks. A bone bruise may cause more pain and take longer to heal.
The RICE approach may help relieve symptoms and promote healing in knee injuries. However, if there is severe pain and swelling, or the bruise is not due to an injury, a person should speak with a doctor.
Feb 8, 2019 · A bone bruise occurs as a result of an injury to the surface of the bone beneath the soft tissue. A knee contusion is a fairly common occurrence. It’s also called a patellar contusion....
- Jacob Clarke
A bone bruise on your knee could mean that you’ve ruptured a ligament. A particularly severe bone bruise can interfere with blood flow. It’s not common, but this can cause part of the...
Jul 7, 2023 · 4 min read. Our bones can bruise, just like our skin, and a bone bruise is similar to the skin bruise you might see following some kind of trauma. A bone bruise, also called a bone...
Apr 8, 2024 · Treatment. Recovery. Contact a doctor. Summary. Bruises can occur in bones as well as soft tissue. Symptoms of a bone bruise may include swelling, skin discoloration, joint pain, and...
Aug 11, 2022 · One of the most common causes of a bone bruise seen on a knee MRI is a ligament injury such as an ACL tear. When the ACL is torn, the bones suddenly shift, causing a compression injury and a very specific pattern of bone marrow edema.
