Leg Injuries

Overview

Minor leg injuries are common. Symptoms often develop from everyday wear and tear, overuse, or an injury. Leg injuries are most likely to occur during:

• Sports or recreational activities.
• Work-related tasks.
• Work or projects around the home.

Most leg injuries in children and teens occur during sports or play or from accidental falls. The risk for injury is higher in contact sports, such as wrestling, football, or soccer. It's also higher in high-speed sports, such as biking, in-line skating, skiing, snowboarding, and skateboarding. Knees, ankles, and feet are the most affected body areas. Any injury that occurs at the end of a long bone near a joint may injure the growth plate. It needs to be checked by a doctor.

Older adults have a higher risk for injuries and fractures. That's because they lose muscle mass and bone strength (osteoporosis) as they age. They also have more problems with vision and balance, which increases their risk for accidental injury.

Most minor injuries will heal on their own. Home treatment is usually all that's needed.

Acute (traumatic) injury

An acute injury may be caused by a direct blow, a penetrating injury, or a fall. Or it may be caused by twisting, jerking, jamming, or bending a limb abnormally. Pain may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may start soon after the injury. These injuries usually need prompt medical care. They may include:

• Bruises (contusions). These occur when small blood vessels under the skin tear or rupture, often from a twist, bump, or fall. Blood leaks into tissues under the skin. It causes a black-and-blue color that often turns colors, including purple, red, yellow, and green, as the bruise heals.
• Injuries to the tough, ropy fibers (ligaments) that connect bone to bone and help stabilize joints (sprains).
• Injuries to the tough, ropy fibers that connect muscle to bone (tendons), such as a ruptured Achilles tendon.
• Pulled muscles (strains), such as a hamstring strain.
• Muscle ruptures, such as gastrocnemius rupture.
• Broken bones (fractures). A break, such as a lower leg fracture, may occur when a bone is twisted, bent, jammed, struck directly, or used to brace against a fall.
• Pulling or pushing bones out of the normal position among the other bones that make up a joint (dislocations).

Overuse injuries

Overuse injuries occur when too much stress is placed on a joint or other tissue. This can happen when you "overdo" an activity or do the same activity over and over again. Overuse injuries include:

Treatment

Treatment for a leg injury may include rest, ice, elevation, and other first aid (such as using a brace, splint, or cast), or physical therapy. Some leg injuries are treated with medicine or surgery, especially if a bone is broken. Treatment depends on:

• The location and type of injury, and how bad it is.
• When the injury occurred.
• Your age, health condition, and activities, such as work, sports, or hobbies.

Self-Care

First aid for a possible broken bone

Most minor leg injuries will heal on their own, and home treatment is usually all that's needed. But if you think that you might have a more severe injury, use first aid until you can be seen by a doctor.

• Control bleeding with direct pressure to the wound.
• Remove all anklets or rings right away. It may be hard to remove the jewelry after swelling starts. This can then cause other serious problems, such as a compressed nerve or restricted blood flow.
• Don't try to straighten an injured leg.
• Splint the injured leg to protect it from further injury. Loosen the wrap around the splint if there are signs that the wrap is too tight. Signs include numbness, tingling, increased pain, swelling, and cool skin below the wrap.
• If a bone is sticking out of the skin, don't try to push it back into your skin. It's better to leave the bone alone. Cover the area with a clean bandage.

Caring for a minor leg injury

Try the following tips to help relieve leg pain, swelling, and stiffness.

• Remove all jewelry.

  Remove rings, anklets, and any other jewelry that goes around a lower extremity. It will be hard to remove the jewelry after swelling starts.

• Rest.

  It's important to rest and protect the injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your pain and soreness.

• Use ice.

  Put ice or a cold pack on your leg for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when you are awake).

• Wrap the injured or sore area.

  Compression, or wrapping the area with an elastic bandage (such as an Ace wrap), will help reduce swelling. Don't wrap it too tightly, because that can cause more swelling below the affected area. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight. Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, increased pain, coolness, and swelling in the area below the bandage.

• Elevate the injured or sore area.

  Try to keep the area at or above the level of your heart to help reduce swelling. Prop up the area on pillows while you apply ice and anytime you sit or lie down.

• Use a crutch or a cane.

  Use a crutch or a cane for the 24 to 48 hours after the injury if it makes you more comfortable and supports the injured area.

• Avoid more swelling.

  For the first 48 hours after an injury, avoid things that might increase swelling. These things include hot showers, hot tubs, hot packs, and drinks that contain alcohol.

• Apply heat.
  • After 2 or 3 days, you can try applying heat to the area that hurts. Types of heat therapy include microwavable packs and disposable heating patches.
  • Apply heat for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
  • You might also try switching between cold and heat.
• Rub the area.

  Gently massage or rub the area to relieve pain and encourage blood flow. Don't massage the injured area if it causes pain.

• Don't smoke or use other tobacco products.

  Smoking slows healing because it decreases blood supply and delays tissue repair.

If you need to use a wrap, crutch, or cane for more than 48 hours, you may have a more serious injury that needs to be checked by a doctor.

When to call for help during self-care

Call a doctor if any of the following occur during self-care at home:

• New or worse pain or swelling.
• New signs of infection, such as redness, warmth, pus, or a fever.
• New or worse numbness, tingling, or cool and pale skin.
• Movement or strength decreases.
• Symptoms occur more often or are more severe.

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