Suggestions for knee swelling post injury?

vivrevotrevie

3-4 weeks ago I did a number on my knee which will now require surgery. Unfortunately the swelling is still creating a problem for my range of motion and I cannot get passed for surgery if I cannot get it down to a normal size! Any suggestions on swelling reduction? I am already working with a PT, take nsaids pretty regularly, ice and try to elevate whenever possible (at home). I work in an office so it is pretty tricky to elevate to a helpful height.

Mind you, I have ruptured my ACL, torn both meniscus, sprained the MCL, and bruised/tiny fractured my tibia, so it is an angry joint. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks!

Azdak

Wrap the knee while you sleep. Start with an elastic wrap 6 in or so below the knee and continue to 6 in above. Wrap it tighter at the bottom. That helps push fluid towards your trunk. Check with your PT to make sure. I did this for 3 surgeries and it did help reduce swelling.

shadowfax_c11

When I tore a meniscus several years ago, my chiropractor used ultrasound therapy on it a number of times. That, along with massage therapy did a lot to help with the pain and swelling.

emmoen

Kinesio tapping works if you PT knows how to do it for swelling. You can also look into a thigh high compression stocking to wear all day

tomatoey

emmoen wrote: »

Kinesio tapping works if you PT knows how to do it for swelling

I really doubt it.

emmoen

Sorry it does I use it all the time
I also seen results on others.

emmoen

I love kinesio tape... I used it after my last knee surgery and had minimal swelling. I have had 4 knee surgeries so far.

tomatoey

Ok - I mean I'm not an expert. I know it didn't help me (for pain, vs swelling though), the studies I've read suggested it probably doesn't work, and my physio is not keen on it. I also can't imagine what kind of biological mechanism would allow it to do that when there is severe swelling due to multiple traumas. But, maybe it helped you, I don't know.

cheshirecatastrophe

tomatoey wrote: »

Ok - I mean I'm not an expert. I know it didn't help me (for pain, vs swelling though), the studies I've read suggested it probably doesn't work, and my physio is not keen on it. I also can't imagine what kind of biological mechanism would allow it to do that when there is severe swelling due to multiple traumas. But, maybe it helped you, I don't know.

Really? 'Cause this study is on the first page of the Google results:

Ristow et al. 2013 - "Application of KT after surgery for mandibular fracture had a statistically significant influence on tissue reaction and swelling, decreasing the incidence of swelling and turgidity by more than 60% during the first 2 days after surgery...The present results showed that KT after open reduction and internal fixation of mandibular fracture is a promising, simple, less traumatic, and economical approach for managing postoperative swelling."
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23676774"]Source[/url

The study did not find that KT tape reduced *pain* for its patients (although it made them feel better about themselves and the healing process, which I thought was amusing) in the case of the surgery. Wu et al. 2015 saw some pain relief effects for soft tissue injuries across previous studies, however. But didn't look at swelling.

tomatoey

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

Ok - I mean I'm not an expert. I know it didn't help me (for pain, vs swelling though), the studies I've read suggested it probably doesn't work, and my physio is not keen on it. I also can't imagine what kind of biological mechanism would allow it to do that when there is severe swelling due to multiple traumas. But, maybe it helped you, I don't know.

Really? 'Cause this study is on the first page of the Google results:

Ristow et al. 2013 - "Application of KT after surgery for mandibular fracture had a statistically significant influence on tissue reaction and swelling, decreasing the incidence of swelling and turgidity by more than 60% during the first 2 days after surgery...The present results showed that KT after open reduction and internal fixation of mandibular fracture is a promising, simple, less traumatic, and economical approach for managing postoperative swelling."
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23676774"]Source[/url

The study did not find that KT tape reduced *pain* for its patients (although it made them feel better about themselves and the healing process, which I thought was amusing) in the case of the surgery. Wu et al. 2015 saw some pain relief effects for soft tissue injuries across previous studies, however. But didn't look at swelling.

Really.

Hauphental DP, da Luz CM, de Noronha M (2015) Kinesio Taping does not decrease swelling in acute, lateral ankle sprain of athletes: a randomised trial. Journal of Physiotherapy 61: 28–33]

Intervention: The experimental group received Kinesio Taping application for 3 days, which was designed to treat swelling. The control group received an inert Kinesio Taping application. Outcome measures: For the comparison between groups, the swelling was measured via volumetry, perimetry, relative volumetry and two analyses of the difference in volume and perimetry between ankles of each participant. Data were collected immediately after the 3 days of intervention and at follow-up, which was 15 days post intervention. Results: At 3 days after intervention, there were no differences between groups for swelling in volumetry (MD –2 ml, 95% CI –28 to 32); perimetry (MD 0.2 cm, 95% CI –0.6 to 1.0); relative volumetry (MD 0.0 cm, 95% CI –0.1 to 0.1); and the other analyses. At day 15 follow-up, there were no significant between-group differences in outcomes. Conclusion: The application of Kinesio Taping, with the aim of stimulating the lymphatic system, is ineffective in decreasing acute swelling after an ankle sprain in athletes.

Post-surgical swelling after jaw surgery (when there is an open wound and where there is possibly finer vascular stuff going on) might be different than swelling in the lower limbs comparable to what the OP has, no?

emmoen

Just saying I have used it... It worked and I have seen several other use it and it worked for them too... I have seen it not work for a few but I would say 95% of those I known to use Kinesio tape has seen some results. It is a option

Thanks for the studies though.