I skinned my knee the last night and today if I touch my knees through my pants (jeans) the one that is skinned noticeably warmer. Is there a reason for this related to my injury? Or is it just a coincidence?
maybe because the blood is closer to the surface on the skinned knee? Less insulation from the outside world? Perhaps in order to fight off infection, you have a sort of localized fever, where the body has increased the temperature of that area (can it do that?)
All pure speculation. I really have no idea.
When you injure yourself, the site of injury goes through a process called inflammation. Inflammation is characterized by four things:
Redness, swelling, heat, and pain. (rubor, tumor, calor, et dolor.)
The heat is a result more boold being sent to the site of injury, and even a little from all the extra work a lot of the cells around that area are doing. Be glad it’s warm, that means it’s healing!
WAG: all physical processes create waste heat. Your body is repairing your knee, which means that locally, there are many more individual actions and reactions going on inside and between your knee’s various cells, vessels, and tissues.