Leg Trauma - Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Introduction:

Legs are an important part of the body that helps in performing crucial functions like movement. Legs comprise of blood vessels, bones, muscles, and connective tissues, and any injury can harm these components of the legs. Leg injuries are commonly seen while doing activities like playing sports, running, or having accidents. These injuries can affect movement and can cause severe pain.

What Is the Anatomy of the Legs?

Human legs are composed of bones, muscles, and connective tissues that run from the hip bones (pelvis) to the ankle and foot. Each of the legs has four bones which include:

• Femur - This is the strongest and longest bone in the body. It is also called the thigh bone, which connects the upper leg bone-pelvic bone (hip joint) to the lower leg bones (knee joint).

• Patella - Also known as the kneecap, is present in front of the knee joint and helps in protecting the joint from damage.

• Tibia - Also known as the shinbone, is among the bigger of the two bones of the lower leg and is one of the common bones to get fractured after injury.

These bones are connected with each other through flexible and fibrous tissues called ligaments. Similarly, small pieces called tendons connect the muscles that help in the movement of the leg to the bones. Whenever an individual experiences leg trauma, it is usually a bone fracture or soft-tissue injuries like a sprain or strain of tendons or ligaments.

What Are the Most Common Leg Injuries?

The most common reason for leg injuries to occur is sports. Sprains or strains of tendons or ligaments can affect professional and amateur athletes. Accidents at work or home are also common causes of injury. Some of the common types of leg injuries include -

• Fracture - This means broken bone, and the tibia is the most common broken bone in the leg. It is also the largest bone in the lower part of the leg, and the person with the tibia fracture cannot walk or take weight on the affected leg.

• Dislocation - This means when the bone is pulled out of the joint. The most common injury of dislocation is dislocated kneecap (patella).

• Sprains - This means tearing or overstretching of ligaments. A person with a sprained ankle is the most common ligament injury of the leg. The injury occurs due to the ankle turning inward, which is also called a twisted ankle. It usually causes pain and swelling, which can be seen on the outside of the ankle.

• Strains - This means stretching or tearing muscle or tissue connecting the bone to the muscle (tendon).

• Muscle Overuse - Muscle pain can occur without any trauma or injury. This can happen due to overexertion or overuse of the muscle due to exercising (gyming) or sports activity. This leads to muscle pain or inflammation.

• Muscle Bruise - This occurs due to a direct blow from an object. This causes damage to the underlying connective tissues and muscle fibers without tearing the skin.

• Bone Bruise - This also occurs from a direct blow to the bone. It is less severe as compared to bone fractures. It leads to blood and fluid buildup in and around the injured bone. Patients may also experience symptoms like pain, swelling, or a change in the skin color of the injured area.

• Skin Injury - Injuries like cuts, scratches, scrapes, or bruises of the skin are also common among leg injuries.

What Are the Symptoms of Leg Trauma?

The symptoms of leg injuries depend upon the type of injury. Some of the most common symptoms linked with leg injury include the following:

• Pain, redness, swelling, and stiffness usually occur due to damage to the leg tissues.

• Difficulty in walking and doing normal activities.

• Loss of normal movement depends on the severity of the injury.

• Complete immobility due to serious spinal cord injury.

• Disruption in daily activities like exercise, playing sports, etc.

What Causes Leg Injuries?

Leg injuries can be of different types or severity. These range from sports to manual work to simple trips and falls. Moreover, serious leg injuries such as fractured bones and dislocations are usually caused by the impact of heavy force or fall. However, minor leg injuries can result when a muscle or ligament is moved beyond the normal range, usually seen in ankle spraining. Some of the common reasons leading to leg trauma include the following:

• Sports - Every athlete is prone to sports injuries. An injury can occur during warm-up routines. The risk of sports injury usually depends upon the intensity and frequency of training.

• Falls - Even a minor fall can lead to muscle strain or joint damage, and in serious cases, it can even damage the spinal cord.

• Accidents - For example, car accidents or accidents at work or home are other common causes of leg injuries.

What Is the Management of Leg Injuries?

The treatment of leg injuries usually depends upon the type and severity of the injury.

• Leg injury management usually involves a physical examination first, followed by X-rays to confirm the degree of damage.

• Dislocations are treated by trying to put the dislocated joint back to its original place, followed by several weeks bed rest.

• Fractures are treated first by immobilizing the affected limb with the help of a cast or splint. In some cases, surgery may also be needed in which metallic rods are placed along the fractured bone to hold the bone together.

In case a patient suffers from mild sprains (stretched ligaments) of the ankle or knee, the following things can be done which include:

• Treatment can be done with RICE which means rest, ice, compression, and elevation for the first 24 to 48 hours.

• Applying ice or a cold pack reduces swelling, bleeding, or pain.

• To help with pain, painkillers can be taken.

• The injured leg should be kept at an elevation and rest for 24 hours.

In case of pulled or bruised muscle or bone followings steps can be taken such as:

• Painkillers can be taken to reduce the pain.

• Cold packs to be applied for at least 20 minutes to reduce swelling or pain.

• A heat pack to be applied to the sore muscle if the pain lasts more than two days.

• The injured part should be rested for the first 48 hours to avoid further damage and to hasten the healing.

Conclusion:

Leg trauma is a common injury that can be easily treated at home. These injuries are temporary and resolve with time. However, serious injuries like fractures or dislocations need further treatment, such as surgeries to heal them, and require a long resting period completely.