I fell last week and injured my knee. I am a mass of bruises from knee to foot…new ones show up every day. Nothing appears to be broken, but I’m still too swollen for follow-up xrays. I’ve stayed off it as much as I can, and ice it when I can. The doctor said I could lose the brace they gave me in the ER…it falls down all the time and just makes things worse. I also ditched the crutches once I could bear weight on it. I work in a small retail store and had to go back to work, though I have permission to sit as needed. I haven’t been wearing the Ace bandage they gave me because it bunches up behind my knee and shifts out of position.
My question is: Should I be wearing the elastic bandage? Will it help with the swelling or pain? Will it improve things? And if so, how do I keep it from sliding down and bunching up?
I have experienced many knee injuries, some from falls, some from overuse. I’m on the mend with one now. I gave up on the braces long ago for the same reason you cite. My tools have been ice and heat, but mostly time. I had one where the ice cleared up the inflammation on the first application. Generally these techniques just waste time until you get better. I think a whirlpool jet on it would be helpful.
Bottom line: Go bare
Not a doctor, not medical advice, see a professional, all the usual disclaimers…
I wear a bandage when I have support problems, like a sprain or a twist. I would not use one for swelling. I wouldn’t wear one over a bruise, either.
Bandages are to support things that are weak and sagging. Um…like brassieres or jockstraps… They can’t do any good for swelling or bruising…
(But…the good thing about the SDMB is that someone will tell me if I’m wrong!)