The treatment of leg swelling below the knee depends on the cause of this swelling, and this swelling occurs for two main reasons, namely, increased fluid accumulation or infection, and in this article we will learn about the causes of this swelling and how to treat it.

Causes of leg swelling below the knee

There are a variety of reasons that cause this bloating, including the following:

1. Causes related to fluid accumulation

These causes occur when the tissues of the feet carry too much fluid that cannot hold them, causing swelling. These causes include:

• exposure to high temperatures.
• Sitting for long periods causes leg swelling, because the muscles that help blood flow in the blood vessels do not move, and to avoid swelling, you must move from time to time.
• Pregnant women in the last trimester of pregnancy are exposed to leg swelling, for several reasons such as fluid retention, hormonal changes, and increased pressure on the veins due to the increase in the size of the uterus.
• heart failure;
• Chronic kidney disease.
• overweight.
• Taking certain medications such as blood pressure and diabetes medications, birth control pills, and antidepressants.
• Deep vein thrombosis of the leg.

2. Causes related to infection

This type of causes occurs when the muscles or tissues of the feet become infected, or as a reaction as a result of an injury to the foot or one of the diseases caused by inflammation, and these reasons include:

• gout;
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• degenerative arthritis;
• Achilles tendon rupture, which is a rupture of the tendon between the heel bone and the calf muscle.
• Knee bursitis.
• Sprained ankle.
• Exposure to infected wounds.

Symptoms of leg swelling below the knee

There are some symptoms that appear on the body, and may accompany leg swelling, including:

• Feeling of pain in the legs.
• Leg numbness.
• Itching, redness, rash.
• Ulcers appearing on the skin.
• High body temperature, when leg swelling is caused by an infection.

Leg swelling below the knee

The treatment of leg swelling below the knee depends on the cause of the swelling, and there are some tips that can be followed, to reduce swelling and puffiness, including:

1. Comfort

When feeling pain when pressing on the feet, it is necessary to rest completely and lie down, and not move except when feeling the ability to put pressure on the feet, without feeling the pain resulting from swelling.

2. Snow

Ice the swollen leg for 20 minutes every hour, especially for the first three days after symptoms appear, to reduce swelling.

3. Compression stockings

Wearing compression stockings may be an effective way to reduce leg swelling below the knee, but we recommend taking it off when feeling tight and consulting the doctor if you have a circulatory problem.

4. Lifting the legs up

Lying with the legs up for 30 minutes, and repeating this habit 3 to 4 times a day, helps gravity to get rid of the fluid trapped in the leg and distribute it to the rest of the body.

4. Take medicines

Taking anti-inflammatory medications helps reduce swelling, making sure to consult a specialist before taking them, to avoid their interaction with other types of medications.

5. Moisturizing the body

Drinking an adequate amount of water helps to get rid of swelling, because in the absence of drinking enough, the body stores water inside, and the intake of salt and carbohydrates from the diet should be reduced.

6. Put the feet in salt water

Putting the feet in lukewarm water with salt, for a period of 15 to 20 minutes, helps to relax the muscles and reduce swelling.

7. Avoid being immobile for a long time

We mentioned at the beginning of the article that sitting for long periods of time is one of the main causes of swelling, so care must be taken to avoid this habit and move from time to time, and extend the knees and ankles, which helps blood flow easily, and in the case of muscle pain, light sports such as swimming can be practiced.

After learning how to treat leg swelling below the knee, be sure to consult a specialist if the leg does not respond to home remedies, in order to avoid any serious complications.