Expert: Dr. Man Tran, Ph.D., D.C., L.Ac. - 9/23/2009

Question
I am 55+ years old & fell on my right knee.  It bruised & got some swelling.  After 6 days I am now having pain on the back of the knee as well as the upper leg muscle, and even my right ankle & big toe (all on the right side) hurts. I also have fibromyalgia.  Is this pain normal?  Do I need to seek medical attention?

Answer
Hi Moneen,

Due to your age, the healing may take a little longer than normal to heal.  As long as the swelling continues to become less each day, then it is a sign that healing is taking place.  The pain at your leg is due to the trauma of falling down on the knee which will affect the structures above and below the knee (thigh and ankle in your case).  If the pain does not subside progressively, then I would recommend to seek medical attention just in case there might be a fracture.