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Knee injury (soft tissue injury)

After injuring your knee

You may have injured your knee by damaging either the ligaments (sprain) or the muscles or tendons (strain). This will cause pain, swelling, stiffness and a limp. The following advice should help you to recover.

Do

  • Rest for the first 24/48 hours after your injury.
  • Keep your knees raised (elevated) with your foot higher than your bottom to help prevent/ reduce the swelling.
  • Use ice packs (crushed ice wrapped in a tea towel will do), for 15 minutes every 2 hours if you can.
  • Take the recommended medication to relieve the pain – this can be bought over the counter from a pharmacy. Follow the instructions on the packet/bottle.
  • Exercise your knee gently 3-4 times per day, once most of the swelling has gone down. If the movements hurt, try and make them smaller.
  • If you are not getting better after 1 week, return to the Minor Injury Unit.

Don't

  • Use ice packs over areas of skin that are in poor condition.
  • Use ice packs if you have poor sensation to cold.
  • Use ice packs if you know you have poor circulation.
  • Place ice packs directly onto your skin as they can burn.
  • Do not leave ice on while asleep.
  • Wear any support bandage in bed.
  • Stand still for long periods.

Exercises

While lying down:

Gently slide your heel towards your bottom, bending the knee as far as you can manage. Repeat 5-10 times.

Person lying on their back on the floor with arms by sides, with one leg bent and foot flat on floor, and other leg straight and relaxed.

Push your knee down into the bed. Hold for 5 seconds then relax. Repeat 5-10 times.

Person lying on their back on the floor with arms by sides, with one leg bent all the way up and foot flat on floor, and other leg straight with foot flexed upright, with toes pulling towards head

Put a rolled up towel under your injured knee. Push down into the towel and lift your heel off the bed. Slowly lower your heel again. Repeat 5-10 times.

Person lying on their back on the floor with arms by sides, with one leg slightly bent and their heel on the ground, and a rolled up towel on the floor to support the knee

Keep leg straight and lift off the floor/bed 10cm. Slowly lower. Repeat 5-10 times.

Person lying on their back on the floor with arms by sides, with one leg raised off the floor, and a rolled up towel on the floor to support the knee

With your legs stretched out in front of you, point your toes and foot up towards you, and then point them away. Alternate between these positions. Repeat 10 times.

Person lying on their back on the floor, arms by sides, one leg bent with foot flat on floor, one leg straight and lifted off the floor with foot flexed at a right angle

While standing: Stand holding on to support in front of you. Bend the knee bringing the heel towards your bottom. Slowly lower. Repeat 5-10 times.

Person standing on one leg, holding onto the back of a chair, with other leg bent

  • You can return to normal activities as soon as the pain and swelling have fully resolved and the strength in your knee has returned.
  • Only perform exercises to the start of your pain, never force yourself through severe
    pain. Stop them if the exercises severely increase your symptoms.

    Please contact your GP or NHS111 for any queries or concerns.

    Download the PDF leaflet:

    Knee injury
    Page last reviewed: 17/01/2025