First Aid: How to Treat Knee Injuries in the Field
Knee injuries, even minor ones, can place significant limitations on mobility and create a great deal of pain. Knowing how to provide initial care and treatment can help to minimize the extent of the injury, keep it from getting worse and helping the victim to remain as comfortable as possible. Look at the following guidelines to get a sense of what needs to be done.
Assessment
The first thing to do is assess the severity of the injury. Unfortunately, you can only tell so much by glancing at or feeling around the knee. However, you can generally get a good sense as to the extent of the injury by looking for some tell-tale signs. Swelling, discoloration, numbness or tingling in the feet or toes and the quality of pain are the first things to consider.
Knee injuries are most commonly caused from the straining or tearing of ligaments and tendons that hold the knees together. Consequently, a good twist can damage more than one of them and some of the damage can be catastrophic and require surgery. On the other hand, many injuries only require some rest and palliative care. Listen to the patient as they describe the pain, observe any abnormalities around the affected area over time and make appropriate decisions.
Ask the patient to wiggle their toes, lift their leg and move the knee if possible to test for range of motion. This will be painful, but it is essential to determine if ligaments or tendons have been torn. If the victim can stand, ask them to lean and put their weight on different parts of the knee, or to flex and bend the knee to identify the affected area.
Treatment
The single, most important thing that you can do for a knee injury is to immobilize it as quickly as possible. All it takes is a little bit of movement to aggravate the pain and cause further strain on the tendons and ligaments. However, you also want to make sure that the immobilization does not restrict swelling or blood flow to the lower leg and foot.
You can easily make a simple splint from two sticks and some cloth. Tie the cloth between the sticks and use it as a cradle that can be placed beneath the knee. Tie it off with some duct tape or cordage. Do not try to move the knee into a different position. Check the pulse in the ankle periodically to ensure that blood flow is not inhibited.
Place the patient on their back and elevate the knee by supporting the thigh or lower leg with a pillow. Raise the knee above the heart in order to minimize swelling and discomfort. You can also apply an ice pack to the affected area for intervals of 10-15 minutes at at time. Take off for a few minutes and then reapply. This will prevent the skin from becoming damaged from the cold. You can also give some anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce swelling as well.
Many minor to moderate injuries can heal on their own with rest. However, if the injury doesn’t improve over the course of a couple of days, seek out medical attention for further assessment and treatment options.
Finally, you may have to either fashion a stretcher or crutch in order to assist the evacuation of the victim if the injury occurs in the wilderness. If it is safe to leave the victim and seek help, do so. Otherwise, try to move to an area where help is more accessible if needed in order to avoid delaying treatment.
Be practical, be prudent and be realistic when dealing with a knee injury in order to reduce the chances of making things worse or creating life-long problems. When in doubt, immobilize the knee and seek help right away, and remember that it’s always better to err on the side of caution just to be on the safe side.
