From the Guidelines
For knee effusion discharge instructions, I recommend a combination of rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE therapy) for 2-3 days, along with consideration of intra-articular injection of long-acting corticosteroid, especially if accompanied by effusion, as indicated by the EULAR recommendations 1.
Key Components of Discharge Instructions
- Rest: Avoid heavy activities and excessive weight-bearing for 2-3 days to reduce stress on the knee joint.
- Ice: Apply ice packs for 15-20 minutes every 2-3 hours while awake to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Compression: Use a compression bandage or knee sleeve to reduce swelling, but ensure it's not too tight.
- Elevation: Elevate your leg above heart level using pillows when resting to reduce fluid accumulation.
Pain Management
- Take over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen (400-600mg every 6-8 hours with food) or acetaminophen (500-1000mg every 6 hours) to manage pain and reduce inflammation, as suggested by the EULAR recommendations 1.
Follow-up and Monitoring
- Follow up with your healthcare provider if symptoms worsen, if you develop fever, increased redness, warmth around the joint, or if the effusion doesn't improve within 5-7 days.
- Gradually return to normal activities as pain and swelling decrease, typically within 1-2 weeks.
- Perform gentle range-of-motion exercises like knee flexion and extension once acute pain subsides to maintain joint mobility and prevent stiffness. The EULAR recommendations 1 emphasize the importance of a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment modalities, and intra-articular injection of long-acting corticosteroid is indicated for flare of knee pain, especially if accompanied by effusion.
From the Research
Discharge Instructions for Knee Effusion
The following discharge instructions can be considered for a patient with knee effusion:
- Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) to reduce pain and swelling 2
- Pain management with oral anti-inflammatory medication or intra-articular injections of corticosteroids or anakinra 3, 4
- Physical therapy to improve knee mobility and strength 5, 4
- Monitoring of knee effusion with regular follow-up appointments to assess the effectiveness of treatment and adjust as needed 5, 3
Post-Operative Care
For patients who have undergone knee arthroscopy, the following post-operative care instructions can be considered:
- Intra-articular injection of Tenoxicam to prevent postoperative knee effusion 3
- Use of normal saline for irrigation during arthroscopy to minimize the risk of infection 3
- Clinical examination for knee effusion 14 days postoperatively to assess the effectiveness of treatment 3
Special Considerations
The following special considerations should be taken into account when managing knee effusion: