Knee injuries are common among avid runners, and developing them is all too easy. The knee joint endures a lot of shock and impact through running, particularly on hard surfaces. Even good footwear only provides minimal protection to the joint and the many moving parts within. Bone contusions, also called bone bruises, can be especially painful, and they are often the result of an abnormal occurrence -- such as a fall -- when running.
Cause
Bone contusions are the product of a blunt force injury that damages the bone. This could occur if a runner falls or is struck by a moving object. In most cases the runner will be able to trace back the source of the contusion to a distinct moment. Contusions cause breaks in the cross-hatched fibers comprising your bone. Severe breaks of these fibers result in fractures of the bone.
Identification
Bone contusions result in pain at the location that lingers after the injury for several days. The knee may be difficult to use when running or even walking. Discoloration, inflammation and swelling may occur, and an X-ray will show breaks in the fibers on the outside of the bone in your knee where the contusion has occurred, according to Max Benton, athletic trainer for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Treatment
Because contusions heal on their own and do not benefit from any sort of brace or cast, there are several things you can do to help them heal. Icing the location of the bruise will help reduce swelling and could expedite healing. Rest the location -- take time off from running to let it heal. You can also take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help the location heal.
Considerations
Knee bone contusions are as difficult to prevent as falling down -- some may be unavoidable. They are also the most painful type of bruise and are difficult to avoid. You might find it very painful to exercise while recovering from a bruise to the knee bone, and it is possible that rigorous exercise could exacerbate the injury -- particularly if the contusion suffers another blow.
