My knee is swollen and I can't put weight on it after a car accident. Could it be broken?

Get help now

If you have just been in a collision, a motorbike fall, a fall from height at work or at home, and you cannot take weight on the leg, call 999 or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not try to walk it off. Keep the leg still and supported, and let paramedics splint it.

In a high-energy accident, other injuries to the head, chest, abdomen, hip or spine take priority, and the trauma team will check for them first.

Red flags that need immediate attention

• Pain that keeps increasing and feels out of proportion, especially with a tight, hard calf or shin
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the foot or toes
• A cold, pale or blue foot
• A wound near the knee, which may mean an open fracture
• An obviously deformed knee or a knee that feels completely unstable

Why these signs matter

Rising pressure inside the muscle compartments of the lower leg, called compartment syndrome, can follow these fractures in the first hours and days and is a surgical emergency. The arteries and nerves behind the knee can also be injured, especially after a knee dislocation. That is why doctors check the pulses and feeling in the foot repeatedly after admission.

What usually happens next

X-rays show the fracture, and a CT scan maps the pieces and any depression of the joint surface. An MRI may be added to look at the menisci and ligaments, which are often injured at the same time. Some patients need a temporary external frame while swelling settles, followed by definitive fixation days later.

Once you are past the emergency phase, Dr. Gelber at Aman Hospital in Doha can review your scans, discuss treatment options and plan the rehabilitation that follows.