You may also have to avoid certain physical activities and sports until you’re fully healed. Relatively minor bone bruises can start to get better within a few weeks. The more severe ones can take several months to heal. Injury to a joint may require a brace to keep the joint still while it heals.
How long should you rest a bone bruise?
Most bone bruises slowly heal over 1 to 2 months. A larger bone bruise may take longer to heal. You may not be able to return to sports activities for weeks or months. If your symptoms don’t go away, your healthcare provider may give you an MRI.
What helps a bruised bone heal faster?
Treatment for a bone bruise may include:
- Resting the bone or joint.
- Applying ice to the area several times a day.
- Raising the injury above the level of your heart to reduce swelling.
- Taking medicine to reduce pain and swelling.
- Wearing a brace or other device to limit movement, if needed.
Can you do anything for a bone bruise?
Treating Bone Bruises
Resting the affected bone or joint, avoiding pressure to the area and unnecessary movement. Applying an ice pack throughout the day to reduce swelling. Resting with the injured area up higher than your heart. Taking medication to address symptoms of pain and inflammation
Should you exercise with a bone bruise? – Related Questions
Can I walk with a bone bruise?
It’s not like the black-and-blue marks that appear on our skin after we bump into something; rather, it’s a serious injury: when you have a bone bruise, it means that the fibrous parts of your bone (trabeculae) have been injured and may be bleeding. That is not something to stand up and walk around on.
Can you worsen a bone bruise?
Avoid placing constant, intense pressure or heavy weight on the affected area to prevent aggravation. If the bone or joint does not rest enough, the healing process can slow down, and further damage might occur. A healthcare provider might also give dietary advice.
Why is a bruised bone so painful?
Bone bruises can be very painful, as the damage and inflammation is in the bone tissue versus the muscle tissue. If you or someone in your family has such an injury, it is important that you seek help in dealing with it right away.
Can a bone bruise turn into a fracture?
Bone bruises are typically painful and take longer to heal than a skin bruise. While the bone isn’t actually broken, the impact is strong enough to result in bleeding or inflammation within the bone. Essentially, the bone particles are compressed but not enough to cause a fracture.
Can a bone bruise turn into a blood clot?
Can’t bad bruises cause blood clots? The bruise itself won’t cause a blood clot. In very rare circumstances, the hit that caused the bruise can. If a deep-seated vein is damaged during the collision, it could lead to a deep-vein clot.
Does a bone bruise cause a hard lump?
Someone with a bone bruise may experience swelling or stiffness in the affected joint, the appearance of a hard lump, and changes to skin and tissue color. Diagnosis includes a physical exam and a detailed description of how the injury occurred.
What happens if a bruise is left untreated?
If a bruise is left untreated, blood may continue to enter an injured area. This can cause devastating complications for athletes. Physicians can more easily help you prevent myositis if you seek treatment before bone tissue starts to form.
Can a bone be bruised but not broken?
Although a bone bruise often happens with these knee injuries, it can also happen in other bones — like in the ankle, heel, and foot. In these areas, the bone experiences some trauma or force but does not break through that outer cortical layer. Sports are a common way that bone bruises occur.
What’s the longest a bruise can last?
It can take months for a bruise to fade, but most last about two weeks. They start off a reddish color, and then turn bluish-purple and greenish-yellow before returning to normal. To reduce bruising, ice the injured area and elevate it above your heart.
How long does it take for a deep bruise to disappear?
Bruises usually fade away in about 2 weeks. Over that time, the bruise changes color as the body breaks down and reabsorbs the blood. The color of the bruise can give you an idea how old it is: When a bruise first happens, it’s kind of red as the blood appears under the skin.
What speeds bruise healing?
The following treatments can be done at home:
- Ice therapy. Apply ice immediately after the injury to reduce blood flow around the area.
- Heat. You can apply heat to boost circulation and increase blood flow.
- Compression. Wrap the bruised area in an elastic bandage.
- Elevation.
- Arnica.
- Vitamin K cream.
- Aloe vera.
- Vitamin C.
How do you know if a bruise is serious?
When to Seek Medical Care
- Call the doctor if the bruise is accompanied by swelling and extreme pain, especially if you take a blood-thinning medication for a medical condition.
- Call the doctor if bruising occurs easily or for no apparent reason.
- Call the doctor if the bruise is painful and under a toenail or fingernail.
