1. Don't Stress Out Your Knees
Any twisting or jolting motion to the knee may cause a knee sprain. Planting your foot and forcing your knee to go straighter than it should is also a culprit. These types of movements stress your knees and can create ligament injuries, or knee sprains. A direct blow to the knee from the front or side may also lead to a sprain. Sports like football, basketball and skiing put your knees at more risk than low-impact sports or activities like walking.
2. Listen for Pops
After a sprain occurs, the area may bruise, and your knee may feel stiff or lose range of motion. The knee may also be painful or tender to touch. One of the symptoms of a knee sprain is a painful pop when you walk. Sometimes you hear the pop, but you may only feel it. Depending on the severity of the knee injury, your knee may buckle when you try to walk.
3. Get a Thorough Diagnosis
Were you diagnosed with a knee sprain that doesn't seem to get better? A knee sprain may be a small injury, or it could be a tear in the ligament that requires surgery to fix. Less-severe injuries generally heal quickly, while tears may cause continual pain. If a doctor diagnoses a knee sprain, request more information. Find out which ligament is injured and how badly it is injured. A doctor may need to perform X-rays, an MRI scan or an ultrasound before answering your questions.
4. Follow RICE and Brace Yourself
Even with stretching and rehabilitation, it can be difficult to prevent a knee sprain. If you're prone to knee sprains, follow the principles of "RICE." Rest after strenuous activities to allow your knee to recoup; you may need to keep weight off by using crutches. Ice the area to reduce inflammation and wrap it with an elastic bandage to compress the knee. Elevate the knee above your heart to decrease swelling. Additionally, wearing a knee brace helps prevent the knee from moving suddenly or incorrectly, which reduces the chance of a knee sprain.
5. Retrain After a Knee Sprain
Physical therapy works to strengthen your muscles and increase range of motion, and it may help reduce swelling and pain. With physical therapy, you retrain your muscles to allow normal movement and learn exercises to do at home. Physical therapists often incorporate weightlifting, exercise bikes and treadmills into routines to help your knee heal faster. Returning to normal activity after a knee sprain may take time. Your primary health care physician can work with physical therapists to make sure you don't stress the knee before it recovers.
