Do you have a knee injury or other knee problem?
Yes
Knee problem or injury
No
Knee problem or injury
How old are you?
Less than 5 years
Less than 5 years
5 years or older
5 years or older
Have you had knee surgery in the past month?
If a cast, splint, or brace is causing the problem, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it.
Yes
Knee surgery in the past month
No
Knee surgery in the past month
Have you had a
major trauma in the past 2 to 3 hours?
Yes
Major trauma in past 2 to 3 hours
No
Major trauma in past 2 to 3 hours
Do you have symptoms of shock?
Is the leg
blue, very pale, or cold and different from the other leg?
If the leg is in a cast, splint, or brace, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it.
Yes
Leg is blue, very pale, or cold and different from other leg
No
Leg is blue, very pale, or cold and different from other leg
How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?
5 to 10: Moderate to severe pain
Moderate to severe pain
1 to 4: Mild pain
Mild pain
Has the pain:
Gotten worse?
Pain is increasing
Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?
Pain is unchanged
Gotten better?
Pain is improving
Do you have any pain in your knee?
How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?
8 to 10: Severe pain
Severe pain
5 to 7: Moderate pain
Moderate pain
1 to 4: Mild pain
Mild pain
How long has the pain lasted?
Less than 2 full days (48 hours)
Pain less than 2 days
2 days to 2 weeks
Pain 2 days to 2 weeks
More than 2 weeks
Pain more than 2 weeks
Has the pain:
Gotten worse?
Pain is getting worse
Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?
Pain is unchanged
Gotten better?
Pain is getting better
Have you had a knee injury in the past month?
Yes
Knee injury in the past month
No
Knee injury in the past month
Are you having trouble moving your knee normally?
Yes
Difficulty moving knee
No
Difficulty moving knee
Can you move the knee at all?
Yes
Able to move the knee
No
Unable to move the knee
Have you had trouble moving your knee for more than 2 days?
Yes
Difficulty moving knee for more than 2 days
No
Difficulty moving knee for more than 2 days
Did the knee or kneecap get twisted out of shape or pop out of its normal position?
This is called dislocation.
Yes
Knee was out of normal position
No
Knee was out of normal position
Is the knee still out of place?
Yes
Knee is still out of position
No
Knee is still out of position
Is this the first time the knee has ever popped out of place?
Yes
First time that knee has been dislocated
No
First time that knee has been dislocated
Does the knee feel loose or unstable when you try to walk?
Yes
Knee feels loose or unstable
No
Knee feels loose or unstable
Is there any swelling or bruising?
Did you have swelling or bruising within 30 minutes of the injury?
Yes
Swelling or bruising within 30 minutes of injury
No
Swelling or bruising within 30 minutes of injury
Has swelling lasted for more than 2 days?
Yes
Swelling for more than 2 days
No
Swelling for more than 2 days
Do you have trouble moving your knee?
Yes
Difficulty moving knee
No
Difficulty moving knee
Is it very hard to move or somewhat hard to move?
"Very hard" means you can't move it at all in any direction without causing severe pain. "Somewhat hard" means you can move it at least a little, though you may have some pain when you do it.
Very hard
Very hard to move
Somewhat hard
Somewhat hard to move
How long have you had trouble moving your knee?
Less than 2 days
Difficulty moving knee for less than 2 days
2 days to 2 weeks
Difficulty moving knee for 2 days to 2 weeks
More than 2 weeks
Difficulty moving knee for more than 2 weeks
Has the loss of movement been:
Getting worse?
Difficulty moving is getting worse
Staying about the same (not better or worse)?
Difficulty moving is unchanged
Getting better?
Difficulty moving is improving
Has the knee been swollen for more than 2 full days (48 hours)?
Yes
Knee swollen for more than 48 hours
No
Knee swollen for more than 48 hours
Do you think that the knee problem may have been caused by abuse?
Yes
Knee problem may have been caused by abuse
No
Knee problem may have been caused by abuse
Do you think the problem may be causing a fever?
Some bone and joint problems can cause a fever.
Yes
Symptoms of infection
Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it?
Do you have diabetes, a
weakened immune system, peripheral arterial disease, or any surgical hardware in the area?
"Hardware" includes things like artificial joints, plates or screws, catheters, and medicine pumps.
Yes
Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area
No
Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area
How long have you had knee symptoms?
Less than 1 week
Symptoms for less than 1 week
1 to 2 weeks
Symptoms for 1 to 2 weeks
More than 2 weeks
Symptoms for more than 2 weeks
Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind
of care you may need. These include:
- Your age. Babies and older
adults tend to get sicker quicker.
- Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart
disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care
sooner.
- Medicines you take. Certain
medicines, herbal remedies, and supplements can cause symptoms or make them
worse.
- Recent health events, such as surgery
or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them
more serious.
- Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug
use, sexual history, and travel.
Try Home Treatment
You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be
able to take care of this problem at home.
- Try home treatment to relieve the
symptoms.
- Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any
concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect).
You may need care sooner.
Pain in adults and older children
- Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain
is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and
can't do anything else except focus on the pain.
- Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your
normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days.
Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's
there.
- Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain,
but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.
Major trauma is any event that can
cause very serious injury, such as:
- A fall from more than
10 ft (3.1 m) [more than
5 ft (1.5 m) for children under
2 years and adults over 65].
- A car crash in which any vehicle
involved was going more than
20 miles (32 km) per
hour.
- Any event that causes severe bleeding that you cannot
control.
- Any event forceful enough to badly break a large bone (like an arm bone or leg bone).
When an area turns blue, very pale, or cold, it can mean that there has been a sudden change in the blood
supply to the area. This can be serious.
There are other reasons
for color and temperature changes. Bruises often look blue. A limb may turn
blue or pale if you leave it in one position for too long, but its normal color
returns after you move it. What you are looking for is a change in how the area
looks (it turns blue or pale) and feels (it becomes cold to the touch), and
this change does not go away.
Pain in children under 3 years
It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in.
- Severe pain (8 to 10): The
pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries
constantly no matter what you do. The baby may kick, make fists, or
grimace.
- Moderate pain (5 to 7): The baby is
very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds
when you try to comfort him or her.
- Mild pain (1 to 4): The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds
when you try to comfort him or her.
Pain in children 3 years and older
- Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain
is so bad that the child can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep,
and can't do anything else except focus on the pain. No one can tolerate severe
pain for more than a few hours.
- Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt the child's normal activities and
sleep, but the child can tolerate it for hours or days.
- Mild pain (1 to 4): The child notices and may complain of the pain,
but it is not bad enough to disrupt his or her sleep or activities.
Symptoms of infection may
include:
- Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in or
around the area.
- Red streaks leading from the area.
- Pus draining from the area.
- A fever.
Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and
illness. Some examples in adults are:
- Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease,
and HIV/AIDS.
- Long-term alcohol and drug
problems.
- Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety
of conditions.
- Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for
cancer.
- Other medicines used to treat autoimmune
disease.
- Medicines taken after organ transplant.
- Not
having a spleen.
With severe bleeding, any of these may
be true:
- Blood is pumping from the wound.
- The
bleeding does not stop or slow down with pressure.
- Blood is quickly soaking through bandage after bandage.
With moderate bleeding, any of these may
be true:
- The bleeding slows or stops with pressure but
starts again if you remove the pressure.
- The blood may soak through
a few bandages, but it is not fast or out of control.
With mild bleeding, any of these may be
true:
- The bleeding stops on its own or with
pressure.
- The bleeding stops or slows to an ooze or trickle after
15 minutes of pressure. It may ooze or trickle for up to 45 minutes.
Shock is a life-threatening condition that may quickly occur
after a sudden illness or injury.
Symptoms of shock (most of which will be present) include:
- Passing out (losing consciousness).
- Feeling very dizzy or
lightheaded, like you may pass out.
- Feeling very weak or having
trouble standing.
- Not feeling alert or able to think clearly. You
may be confused, restless, fearful, or unable to respond to questions.
Shock is a life-threatening condition that may occur quickly
after a sudden illness or injury.
Symptoms of shock in a child may include:
- Passing out (losing consciousness).
- Being very sleepy or hard
to wake up.
- Not responding when being touched or talked to.
- Breathing much faster than usual.
- Acting confused.
The child may not know where he or she is.
Seek Care Now
Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.
- Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and
arrange for care.
- If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have
one, seek care in the next hour.
- You do not need to call an
ambulance unless:
- You cannot travel safely either by driving
yourself or by having someone else drive you.
- You are in an area
where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.
Make an Appointment
Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical
care.
- Make an appointment to see your doctor in the
next 1 to 2 weeks.
- If appropriate, try home treatment while you
are waiting for the appointment.
- If symptoms get worse or you have
any concerns, call your doctor. You may need care sooner.
Seek Care Today
Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The
problem probably will not get better without medical care.
- Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms
and arrange for care.
- If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't
have one, seek care today.
- If it is evening, watch the symptoms and
seek care in the morning.
- If the symptoms get worse, seek care
sooner.
Call 911 Now
Based on your answers, you need
emergency care.
Call911or other emergency services now.
Call 911 Now
Based on your answers, you need
emergency care.
Call911or other emergency services now.
Put direct, steady pressure on the
wound until help arrives. Keep the area raised if you can.
Postoperative Problems