Bruises, sprains, ligament ruptures
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Bruises and sprains of the leg ligaments, as well as internal ruptures, are one of the most common forms of damage to the tissues of the legs. They can disturb a person as an independent trauma, and may be accompanied by other traumas that are more difficult to bear. For example, fractures, injuries to the skull, chest and other parts of the body. What are the symptoms that can detect dislocations and bruises of the legs and how to provide first aid to a person under these conditions?
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These leg injuries are most frequent, because with the current lifestyle, very few people are specifically involved in the development of foot flexibility. A bruise of the feet is obtained if a person falls into a small or even a large height or is struck by some object (not sharp). Doctors diagnose most often the bruises of subcutaneous fat, but the bruises of internal organs also occur, and quite often. This is a more serious nature of pain. For example, with a bruise of the brain, a bruise of the lungs or the heart (and this happens), the consequences can be very serious, even fatal.
A bruised leg can be independent, and can be combined with these serious injuries - the heart, other internal organs. The bruise of the foot can be recognized by such symptoms as pain in the leg (any part of it), a bruise can immediately appear in the place of the bruise, or it may appear a little later. Hematoma or swelling can also be a consequence of a foot injury.
When there is pain with a bruise?
It can occur in the leg instantaneously, or it may be that the person is in a shock stage and the pain from the bruise will feel a little later when the stressful situation passes. With an injury, the pain can last for several hours, and then it changes its character with a strong and sharp to blunt and aching. In a few hours, the pain after the injury should pass, but the pain after the fracture - no, only intensify. This can distinguish the bruise of the leg from a fracture.
Swelling and bruising
Tumescence on the foot after a bruise can increase over a period of 24 hours. It is small at first, then it becomes more and more. To the swelling was not so large, to the bruised place, initially it is necessary to apply ice - this will reduce the inflammation of the muscle tissue.
Hematoma is a hemorrhage in soft tissues. The extent to which the hematoma is large and intimidating, depends on the depth of penetration of the stroke. If the skin is bruised and subcutaneous tissue is affected, hematoma can be seen immediately. If the blow penetrated deeply, then the hematoma will be visible on the surface of the foot only on the second or third day after the injury.
The hematoma gradually changes color depending on how much time has passed. If the hematoma is fresh, it is red, then it turns purple, and then turns blue and dark blue. And finally it becomes a greenish-yellow hue, and then disappears. Therefore, the color of the hematoma can be easily established. How long ago there was a leg injury. In particular, her bruise.
Can a person walk after a foot injury?
It depends on how bad the bruise was. If the bruise was too strong, the person immediately begins to limp. Otherwise, if the bruise is not very strong, the walking function is not broken right away. And as the tumor and hematoma build up. There may also be swelling of the legs.
Pain in this case is such that a person can not step on the injured leg or bend it, or it can bend, but with the help of another person. Or else a man has a leg ache, he can walk, but he's limping. With a fracture, a person can not walk alone and walk on a damaged leg - too. He can only walk with crutches. Therefore, in violation of the function of walking, it is possible to distinguish a fracture from a bruise.
What to do with a bruise?
To treat bruises is much easier than fractures and stretching. To reduce the development and manifestations of bruising (hematoma), it is necessary to impose an ice on the damaged area. It is better to wrap it in a towel so that the ice does not flow. Ice should be applied for 15 minutes, then a 10-minute break and ice again. A person at the same time needs complete rest, the injured leg should not be disturbed.
If there is no ice, the injured leg can be placed under a stream of iced water for about 5 minutes, then taken away from the water. And then again - under a cold jet. If you are on the street in a cold season, for example, in winter, then you can put snow on your injured leg, and wrap it with a cloth on top. The dressing should be oppressive - this will make it possible to stop the development of the hematoma. This will also help reduce pain when moving. The dressing is needed as soon as possible after the person has sustained a leg injury. In order to avoid tumors or they were minimal, and also as prevention of swelling, a special leg pose that is damaged should be placed so that the foot was higher than the level of the heart.
Stretch of leg ligament
Stretching can occur in a person when the movement of the joint is greater than it can withstand, and in the direction that the joint does not possess. First of all, doctors ascertain the stretching of the ankle joints. It happens if a man has tucked a leg. When the leg is tucked up, the sprain can be confused at first with the bruise of the joint. Why? Yes, because the leg hurts, it swells, it causes a bruise (bruise). But the joint is even heavier to move, than with a bruise, and the pain can be stronger. When stretching ligaments, it is difficult for a person to move at all.
What to do with stretching?
It is very difficult to treat them without medical assistance. One must first make sure that there is no fracture of the leg. With a fracture, the tumor is very strong and occurs immediately, and when the ligaments are stretched, gradually. In case of fracture, a part of the bone can be probed under the skin or the fracture can be open, when the bone is clearly visible.
When stretched, the bone remains in place, and the ligaments are stretched. In place of damage, you must immediately apply cold to reduce swelling and edema, and a pressure bandage.
Medical products for stretching
Anti-inflammatory and pain medications, as a rule, should be used only after consultation with a doctor. If you are in a situation where a high risk of getting a stretch, for example, at a ski base or in a hike, it is absolutely necessary to take a first aid kit with such preparations. It can be indovazin (it consists of anti-inflammatory and anesthetizing drugs), as well as diclofenac, and can well help the fasting gel. These drugs are external, they are made in the form of gels or ointments.
They need to be applied to the place that was injured. It is necessary, that the skin thus did not have damages, differently to smear with gels and ointments it is impossible. If a person does not tolerate nonsteroidal drugs with anti-inflammatory effect, then these ointments can not be used either.
Rupture of ligament
Rupture of ligaments - this can be damage to the ligaments, which has appeared by itself or in combination with other injuries: bruises, sprains, fractures. Then you need to apply complex treatment. Most often, the ligament rupture occurs in the ankle or knee area - the knee joint is also damaged.
When the ligaments break, there is a strong sharp pain, as well as bruises, swelling, the joint can not move, the leg of the injured person swells. Can as a side effect be and a hemorrhage in the joint (it has inside the void). When the blood pours out into the joint, it swells, it hurts even more, it becomes much more than it should be.
If at the same time to press the knee joint with your fingers, the joint descends deeper - and should, on the contrary, spring and remain in place. Lowering the joint inward by 1-2 cm indicates that the joint is damaged. Under it there may be blood, which accumulated as a result of trauma, it resembles a soft pillow under the joint itself. It is for this reason that the patella seems to float on this cushion, sliding. It is quite painful - the natural position of the joint is disturbed.
Tearing of the leg muscle
Rupture of the muscles of the leg happens when the legs have experienced a very heavy load. This can be a drop in weight on the leg, excessive time and increased workout load, a strong and rapid contraction of the muscle, as well as a blow to the muscle, which at this time is shrinking or tense. If at this time the muscle is injured, the person experiences the strongest and very sharp pain.
As a result, a hematoma appears on the foot, which constantly increases, the leg swells, and swelling may develop. The function of the muscle at this time is completely broken, the person can not move the injured leg, because every movement causes pain. If you get a rupture of the thigh muscles, a person can not even bend a leg in the knee, and not that leaning on it.
Most often, from muscle ruptures, physicians detect ruptures of the gastrocnemius muscle, thigh muscles, arm muscles - biceps.
If the leg muscle breaks completely, then at the point of rupture a small pit appears, a depression that is also very painful, and the muscle completely loses its functions. If the rupture of the leg muscle is incomplete, a hematoma appears in the area of the lesion, pain is at the slightest pressure, the leg may be sore, but the muscles may partially work.
Rupture of the tendon of the legs
The tendon is torn at a heavy load on the legs, falling, and trauma. When the tendon ruptures, the pain is not as strong and sharp as in other injuries. The person notes a rather moderate pulling pain, which after a while stops. Where the leg is damaged and the tendon is torn, the leg will swell.
It seems to a person that due to mild pain and damage is not strong. But no. The muscle with the damage to the tendon and its rupture completely ceases to function. The leg does not bend and does not unbend, it is impossible to stand on it. If the tendon of the finger is torn, the finger can not be bent - not because of the pain, but because the functions of the finger are violated. But if you bend your finger with your hands, it will work out.
What to do with ruptures, bruises and sprains?
Symptoms for bruises, ruptures, and strains are very similar, so all these traumatic conditions can easily be confused with each other. With all these injuries there are pain, bruises, swelling, swelling. Therefore, for treatment, it is best to immediately call a doctor, in no case do not tolerate pain. The doctor must make an x-ray to understand what the person is doing in the body. What is it - a rupture of a ligament, a stretching of a tendon, and maybe a bruise?
How to distinguish a crack from a bruise?
Can this be done to distinguish a crack from other traumatic injuries? The fact is that either a fracture or a crack, unlike a stretch, is a periosteum whose integrity is broken. So, the slightest pressure on this area causes severe pain due to the huge number of pain receptors in it.
To determine if there is a fracture or a crack in the periosteum, you need to find the sign that points to it - a symptom of the load of the axis of the periosteum. If you press your fingers or tap lightly on the foot bone, not in the transverse direction, but in the longitudinal direction, it is very sore. It is very painful to tread on the leg in which the bone is damaged. And to tread on the foot, which is bruised, you can, although the pain will also be present. It is necessary to immediately consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Basic information about first aid for injuries
What do you need to do with injuries first of all? What kind of help should be provided to a person before the doctor arrives with a bruise, sprain, rupture of ligaments or leg muscles?
- The leg should remain at rest
- The damaged part of the leg should not be subjected to vibration, shaking, the person does not need to be moved as far as possible
- On the damaged site it is necessary to impose a bandage - pressing and soft
- Ice should be applied every 15 minutes with a break of 5-10 minutes for 3 hours
- In the first 2-3 days you can not impose heat on the damaged area: warmers, warm compresses, rubbing
It is necessary to call a doctor for diagnosis and thorough professional treatment, especially if the pain is increasing.