What Should I Do For A Minor Knee Injury? For minor knee injuries, doctors often recommend following the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) for the first 24 to 72 hours after the injury. Try to take it easy immediately after you injure yourself. Ice your knee for 15 minutes every two hours to reduce inflammation and pain. Antiinflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, can be very helpful, as well. Wrap the affected area with an elastic bandage to provide compression and reduce swelling. Elevate your leg. These steps also will help take down swelling. When Should You See An Orthopedic Specialist For Knee Pain? Feeling a pop or having swelling in the knee are signs that you should see a specialist for your knee injury. “I think the biggest factor in those, what we would consider tweener cases where it’s maybe not a severe injury, but also not just something you can walk off, is swelling of the knee,” said Dr. Calloway. “When you start seeing swelling and it’s not going down or it’s lessening your ability to walk, that’s when you go and see an orthopedic surgeon.” Surgery For Knee Ligament Injuries For some more serious knee ligament injuries, surgery may be needed to repair a tear or reconstruct the ligament. If you have lingering knee pain that doesn’t resolve with rest, reach out to Franciscan Health’s orthopedic specialists to help find a plan of care to get you back to enjoying the activities – such as golf -- that you love to play.
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