A wound is an injury to living tissue in the body and occurs when the skin becomes opened, cracked, torn or ruptured. An opening in the skin will increase a person’s risk of infection. A wound on the knee is usually due to an abrasion or scrape from a fall or from contact with a rough surface. Abrasions can range in severity from mild to severe. Minor abrasions are superficial and only affect the uppermost layers of the skin. A deeper abrasion may require sutures or a skin graft to close tissue or repair tissue loss.
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Symptoms
When the skin on the knee is scraped, bleeding can occur and the skin may peel back. An abrasion can cause sharp pain and burning and oozing of fluid. The area around the abrasion can be red or pink due to inflammation and irritation. A hardened, reddish, brown scab will form once healing is underway and may feel itchy at the sides as the scab’s edges contract inwards and healing is well underway. The presence of thick white / yellow fluid can indicate infection and will be accompanied by warmth and redness around the area.
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Causes
An abrasion results when the skin is scraped away causing an opening of the skin. An accident, falling on your knee or rubbing it on a rough surface creates friction across the top layer of the skin. Depending on the health and condition of the skin, it may not take much friction to disrupt the uppermost layer of the skin. The force of friction sustained will determine the severity of an abrasion and likelihood of related injury to the knee and skin.
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Treatment
Minor abrasions can usually be treated at home by keeping the scrape clean using a mild soap and water. Allowing water to run over the abrasion will irrigate the wound washing away dirt and debris. Using an antibiotic cream or ointment and covering with a bandage will prevent the abrasion from becoming infected. Infection is more likely to occur within the first 48 hours after the skin wound happens. Once the abrasion begins to heal, leaving a minor wound open to the air may help expedite the process. Protect the abrasion wound from further trauma and injury.
