What should you know about swollen knees and legs?

A knee may swell after a twist, impact, overuse, or irritation inside the joint. ACL Tear and Meniscus Tear can present with swelling after a knee injury. Knee Osteoarthritis may cause aching, stiffness, and swelling that changes with activity, while Gout can produce a suddenly hot, tender joint. A Baker's Cyst can create fullness behind the knee. Swelling in both legs can also relate to prolonged sitting, vein problems, medicines, or a condition affecting the heart, kidneys, or liver. The pattern, timing, warmth, skin colour, and other symptoms help a clinician narrow the cause.

Reduce activities that increase pain and keep the legs gently moving within comfort. Elevating the legs while resting may ease fluid pooling. A cool pack wrapped in cloth can help after a recent injury; avoid placing ice directly on skin. Do not tightly wrap a swollen leg if you have numbness, colour change, or poor circulation. Note when the swelling began, whether one side is worse, and any injury, fever, new medicine, or breathlessness. A clinician may examine the joint and, when fluid is limiting movement or the cause is unclear, discuss Joint Aspiration.

Get urgent medical help for sudden swelling with chest pain or breathlessness, a cold or blue foot, severe pain, inability to bear weight, marked redness and warmth with fever, or swelling after a significant injury. Arrange a prompt assessment if one leg becomes newly swollen, the swelling keeps returning, or it does not improve with rest. A clinician can check the knee, circulation, medicines, and general health rather than assuming the swelling has one cause.

Could the swelling be inside the knee or mainly in the leg tissues? Do I need an examination, imaging, blood tests, or fluid testing? Which movements are suitable while this settles? Could any medicine or existing health condition be contributing?