Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Got Injury In Knee Cap. Took Naproxen And Tylenol. Have Osteoarthritis. Any Home Treatment?
Question: Hi,
Can you please help with advice in what is best to do for the following?
Today I fell to the concrete floor with all my body weight and hit the bone that is about an inch below my right knee cap.
It has immediately swelling with a blue and XXXXXXX bruise and it hurts when walking or touch. I was actually limping after that for about half hour. Now the muscle that goes in front of the leg from the knee until my ankle hurts also.
I applied ice and anti inflamatory gel to the area and also took naproxen and tylenol for the pain and to help with the inflamation.
I do have OA of the knees and joints. I also placed my hand for support in the floor when falling and my wrist hurts and I have very sharp pain inside the whole wrist that only last for seconds, then the pain goes away and a milder pain stays.
Not sure if it is relevant but I feel short of breath right after the fall and until now, more than 7 hrs after.
Any advice you can give me is very appreciated. Should I see a Doctor or can I treat this at home?
Thank you.
Can you please help with advice in what is best to do for the following?
Today I fell to the concrete floor with all my body weight and hit the bone that is about an inch below my right knee cap.
It has immediately swelling with a blue and XXXXXXX bruise and it hurts when walking or touch. I was actually limping after that for about half hour. Now the muscle that goes in front of the leg from the knee until my ankle hurts also.
I applied ice and anti inflamatory gel to the area and also took naproxen and tylenol for the pain and to help with the inflamation.
I do have OA of the knees and joints. I also placed my hand for support in the floor when falling and my wrist hurts and I have very sharp pain inside the whole wrist that only last for seconds, then the pain goes away and a milder pain stays.
Not sure if it is relevant but I feel short of breath right after the fall and until now, more than 7 hrs after.
Any advice you can give me is very appreciated. Should I see a Doctor or can I treat this at home?
Thank you.
Hi,
Thanks for writing to us.
You had 7 hours history of fall on a concrete floor, injuring your tibia (bone below your knee) and your wrist.
At the outset I presume all your vitals (pulse blood pressure) are normal.
Since you walked after the fall, so most probably you don't have fractured your tibia.
The blue XXXXXXX bruise, which occurred after fall, is hematoma (collection of blood under skin and muscle).
Hematoma usually, changes its color while resolving.
Pain in wrist could also be due to trauma to wrist in additional to the pain of osteoarthritis.
The shortness of breath you’re complaining of is very much relevant to this fall.
It is possible that you might have injured your lungs during fall, which have resulted in pneumothorax (air in plural cavity), which can compress your lung tissue and produces shortness of breath.
The other condition which can produce shortness of breath after fall is haemothorax, that is collection of blood in your pleural cavities, again compressing the lungs and producing shortness of breath.
The immediate treatment which you took is all right.
You need a antiseptic dressing of wound, antibiotics and analgesic anti inflammatory drugs like the one you have already taken.
But in view of shortness of breath, which is a serious condition, I would suggest you to visit ER, so that haemo/pneumthorax can be ruled out by a chest X-Ray,
Fracture of tibia and any injury to wrist will also need to be ruled out by X-Ray of corresponding parts.
Hope this answer your question.
If you have any more questions, do post follow up, I will be readily available to answer.
Take care
Get well Soon
Regards
Thanks for writing to us.
You had 7 hours history of fall on a concrete floor, injuring your tibia (bone below your knee) and your wrist.
At the outset I presume all your vitals (pulse blood pressure) are normal.
Since you walked after the fall, so most probably you don't have fractured your tibia.
The blue XXXXXXX bruise, which occurred after fall, is hematoma (collection of blood under skin and muscle).
Hematoma usually, changes its color while resolving.
Pain in wrist could also be due to trauma to wrist in additional to the pain of osteoarthritis.
The shortness of breath you’re complaining of is very much relevant to this fall.
It is possible that you might have injured your lungs during fall, which have resulted in pneumothorax (air in plural cavity), which can compress your lung tissue and produces shortness of breath.
The other condition which can produce shortness of breath after fall is haemothorax, that is collection of blood in your pleural cavities, again compressing the lungs and producing shortness of breath.
The immediate treatment which you took is all right.
You need a antiseptic dressing of wound, antibiotics and analgesic anti inflammatory drugs like the one you have already taken.
But in view of shortness of breath, which is a serious condition, I would suggest you to visit ER, so that haemo/pneumthorax can be ruled out by a chest X-Ray,
Fracture of tibia and any injury to wrist will also need to be ruled out by X-Ray of corresponding parts.
Hope this answer your question.
If you have any more questions, do post follow up, I will be readily available to answer.
Take care
Get well Soon
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Mohammed Kappan
Dr. XXXXXXX Mughal,
Thank you for your prompt response to my inquiry.
Is good to know the shortness of pain reason, Now is almost gone very mild but I will see if it becomes worst then I know I have to go to the Doctor.
Just a question for your advice in taking antibiotics? I didn't cut or open my skin during the fall, should I still take antibiotics? I continued to apply ice and with the naproxen and local like you said I don't think I fractured the tibia or the wrist.
It is the first time I use this website for Medical advice and I am glad I did.
Thank you.
Have a good day.
Thank you for your prompt response to my inquiry.
Is good to know the shortness of pain reason, Now is almost gone very mild but I will see if it becomes worst then I know I have to go to the Doctor.
Just a question for your advice in taking antibiotics? I didn't cut or open my skin during the fall, should I still take antibiotics? I continued to apply ice and with the naproxen and local like you said I don't think I fractured the tibia or the wrist.
It is the first time I use this website for Medical advice and I am glad I did.
Thank you.
Have a good day.
Hello,
Thanks for follow up.
It gives me happiness to know that you don't have shortness of breath any more.
Since your wound is not open, you don't need any antibiotic. But keep a note of the following:
1. Size of hematoma - whether decreasing in size or increasing in size; if hematoma increases in size, you may need antibiotic.
2. Pain - if there is increase in intensity of pain, you may need antibiotic.
3. Increase in local temperature of wound / development of fever - you may need antibiotic
All these are sign of infection of wound.
So bottom line is if your wound get infected only then you may need antibiotic, otherwise treatment your receiving is ok.
Hope this answers your question. Let me know if you have any more query,
If you don’t have any more queries, close the discussion, Rate the answer and write review.
Get well soon...
Regards
Dr Sadiq
Thanks for follow up.
It gives me happiness to know that you don't have shortness of breath any more.
Since your wound is not open, you don't need any antibiotic. But keep a note of the following:
1. Size of hematoma - whether decreasing in size or increasing in size; if hematoma increases in size, you may need antibiotic.
2. Pain - if there is increase in intensity of pain, you may need antibiotic.
3. Increase in local temperature of wound / development of fever - you may need antibiotic
All these are sign of infection of wound.
So bottom line is if your wound get infected only then you may need antibiotic, otherwise treatment your receiving is ok.
Hope this answers your question. Let me know if you have any more query,
If you don’t have any more queries, close the discussion, Rate the answer and write review.
Get well soon...
Regards
Dr Sadiq
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
