Knee Sprain in Children

A knee sprain is a stretch or tear in a knee ligament. Knee ligaments are bands of tissue that connect bones in the knee to each other.

What are the causes?

This condition is often results from:

• A fall.
• A sports-related injury to the knee.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Trouble bending the leg.
• Swelling in the knee.
• Bruising around the knee.
• Tenderness or pain in the knee.
• Muscle spasms around the knee.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition may be diagnosed based on:

• A physical exam.
• What happened just before your child started to have symptoms.
• Tests, such as:
  • An X-ray. This may be done to make sure no bones are broken.
  • An MRI. This may be done to check if the ligament is torn.

How is this treated?

Treatment for this condition may involve:

• Keeping the knee still (immobilized) with a splint, brace, or cast.
• Applying ice to the knee. This helps with pain and swelling.
• Keeping the knee raised (elevated) above the level of the heart during rest. This helps with pain and swelling.
• Taking medicine for pain.
• Exercises to prevent or limit permanent weakness or stiffness in the knee.
• Surgery to reconnect the ligament to the bone or to reconstruct it. This may be needed if the ligament tore all the way.

Follow these instructions at home:

If your child has a splint or brace:

• Have your child wear the splint or brace as told by your child’s health care provider. Remove it only as told by your child’s health care provider.
• Loosen the splint or brace if your child’s toes tingle, become numb, or turn cold and blue.
• Keep the splint or brace clean.
• If the splint or brace is not waterproof:
  • Do not let it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when your child takes a bath or a shower.

If your child has a cast:

• Do not allow your child to stick anything inside the cast to scratch the skin. Doing that increases your child’s risk of infection.
• Check the skin around the cast every day. Tell your child’s health care provider about any concerns.
• You may put lotion on dry skin around the edges of the cast. Do not put lotion on the skin underneath the cast.
• Keep the cast clean.
• If the cast is not waterproof:
  • Do not let it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when your child takes a bath or a shower.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• Have your child gently move his or her toes often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
• Have your child elevate the injured area above the level of his or her heart while he or she is sitting or lying down.
• Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider.
• If directed, put ice on the injured area.
  • If your child has a removable splint or brace, remove it as told by your child’s health care provider.
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your child’s skin and the bag or between your child’s cast and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.

General instructions

• Have your child do exercises as told by his or her health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• The cast, brace, or splint does not fit right.
• The cast, brace, or splint gets damaged.
• Your child’s pain gets worse.

Get help right away if:

• Your child cannot use the injured joint to support his or her body weight (cannot bear weight).
• Your child cannot move the injured joint.
• Your child cannot walk more than a few steps without pain or without the knee buckling.
• Your child has significant pain, swelling, or numbness on the calf, ankle, or foot below the cast, brace, or splint.

Summary

• A knee sprain is a stretch or tear in a knee ligament that usually occurs as the result of a fall or injury.
• Treatment may require a splint, brace, or cast to help the sprain heal.
• Contact your child’s health care provider if your child has significant pain, swelling, or numbness, or if he or she is unable to walk.