Hematoma in leg: 6 Causes, 5 Symptoms, Complications, and 3 Treatments

Hematoma in leg can be really painful and unpleasant to look at. Let us explore all the causes, symptoms and treatments of hematoma in leg.

What exactly is a Hematoma? It is the collection of clotted blood outside a blood vessel brought about by an injury to the blood vessel wall. The injury causes blood to leak out into the surrounding tissues.

The blood vessel that is damaged could be a capillary, artery, or a vein. The bleeding that occurs may be large resulting in extreme blood loss, or it could be tiny with dots of blood.

Therefore, Hematoma in leg is a collection of leaked blood from the blood vessels located on the leg. The leaked blood causes a clot on the lower leg resulting to the prevention of blood flow to the affected area.

The condition generally affects the old and people who are actively involved in sports. The reason why the old people are affected by this condition is that their skin and tissue strength is deteriorating as they gracefully age every year.

You can have a Hematoma on any part of the leg. It can be either on the upper leg or the lower leg. However, a Hematoma on shin can be quite depressing especially if the condition develops on the tibia.

People who develop Hematoma on shin require surgery to correct the condition. Often than not, people who develop Hematoma on leg experience a direct blow from a blunt object to the leg.

A Hematoma in leg could also develop as a result of a surgery performed on a specific area of your leg. When such an incidence occurs, keeping the leg elevated helps subdue the Hematoma.

It also helps blood circulate away from the area on your leg that is swollen. It is important to note that despite the condition of Hematoma in leg being common amongst the old people anyone can develop the issue.

Causes of Hematoma in Leg:

Like most medical conditions, Hematoma in leg has its causes. Here are some of the causes of calf Hematoma.

Injury or Trauma:

Injury or Trauma is the most common cause of Hematoma in leg. A blunt instrument or a hard object mainly causes the Hematoma on shin or calf Hematoma to develop.

Sports Activities:

People who play sports like hockey, football, and kicking box, among other games that require the use of the leg or an instrument are most vulnerable to developing Hematoma in leg.

Falls:

Falling from tall heights, onto a hard surface or platform results in the damage of your leg blood vessels. Damaged blood vessels lead to a hematoma.

Haemophilia:

People suffering from haematological disorders for example haemophilia can develop hematoma in leg.

Nutritional deficiencies:

Vitamin K deficiency and Malnutrition is also a cause for the hematoma in leg.

Varicose veins:

The rupturing of the varicose veins in the leg. When the varicose veins in the leg rapture it causes a defect to the flow of blood in the body. This defect causes the accumulation of blood and these results in the formation of a hematoma in leg.

An increase in pressure makes the veins rupture and blood leak into the surrounding tissues causing a leg hematoma.

Signs and Symptoms of Hematoma in Leg:

The essential thing to remember about calf hematoma is that the signs and symptoms are depended on the extent and the severity of the injury you experience. For example, if the injury is severe, then Hematoma affects a large area of your leg. However, if the injury is less severe, then the Hematoma in leg does not cover a large area on your leg.

Here are certain signs and symptoms that are commonly seen in Hematoma in leg

Swelling:

It is a common symptom for everyone that suffers from Hematoma in leg. The swelling of the leg develops a few minutes later because of a traumatic injury. The swelling on the leg can be large or small depending on the extent of the clotted blood.

Pain:

The level of pain felt it also depends on the severity of the injury. If the injury is small, the level of pain will be less, unlike when the injury is large.

Discolouration of the skin:

Once the swelling begins, discolouration of the skin follows. During the first hours of the injury, the skin turns to colour blue. However, as the days progress the area with Hematoma begins to darken.

Difficulty walking:

People suffering from Hematoma in leg find it difficult to walk.

Tenderness:

The swollen area around the injured part of your leg becomes tender.

Complications:

It is necessary to treat hematoma in leg once you observe the signs. A majority of people neglect to treat hematoma in leg, and their decision causes adverse effects and complications after a while.

If the hematoma in leg is large, then the circulation of blood around the tissues may not be as expected. A compromised blood circulation system results in tampering of the functionality of the muscles and nerves.

Lack of treating hematoma also leads to a risk of infections. It also prolongs the healing period of the hematoma. The possibility of the leaking blood around your tissues being calcified also increases. Therefore, do not avoid going for treatment if you have a hematoma in leg.

Treatment of leg Hematoma:

Since the leg has several parts that come together to form the leg, so does Hematoma also affect the various parts of the leg. The most common hematoma in leg includes Calf hematoma and hematoma on shin. Each of this hematoma has its treatment method that helps patients recover quickly.

Calf hematoma:

The treatment of a calf hematoma can be independently carried out. If the hematoma is not causing any serious damage to the overall health, the use of gels and ointments can help treat the hematoma.

However, if the effects are serious like the formation of pus, health deterioration, severe pain, and temperature reaction, then surgery is required.

If the calf hematoma is large, ensure you consult a doctor on the appropriate treatment method for the calf hematoma.

Hematoma on shin:

The treatment of hematoma on shin occurs using conservative methods. It requires the use of a surgical intervention to help the affected area around the shin heal faster.

When hematoma on shin occurs, the formation of pus occurs, pain increases, and the body temperature changes. However, surgical intervention helps to reduce the effects of Hematoma on shin.

However, if the effects of a hematoma are not adverse, the use of ointments and gels is recommended. Rubbing ointments and gels around the affected area help reduce the swelling in the surrounding area and cause it heal quickly.

For the ointments and gels to work, massage them around the affected area until it is fully absorbed.

Other common methods, useful in treating hematoma in leg include:

Diet:

Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet helps to speed up the healing process of a leg hematoma. Ensure that you eat foods that are rich in Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is an essential mineral that assists in the recovery of a hematoma. Vitamin C is found mainly in fruits like limes, lemons, and oranges. You should also eat foods that are rich in protein as they help your body regain muscle power.

The RICE method:

The acronym RICE method stands for rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Rest means that you rest your leg and keep away from any activity that requires you to move a lot. Taking a break from sporting activities especially for sports enthusiasts will help the leg heal faster.

Ice means that you should apply ice to the affected area. Ice helps stop the blood from leaking into the surrounding tissues. Wrap some ice cubes inside a clean piece of cloth. Place the ice over the affected area for a few minutes twice or thrice a day until the injured area heals.

Compression means using a compression bandage to prevent blood from continuously oozing from the injured area. All you simply have to do is wrap a compression bandage around the affected area of your leg

Finally, elevation means that you should keep your foot elevated. Elevation helps reverse the flow of blood, which results in swelling reduction.

Herbal remedies:

The use of herbal medicine can also help to treat hematoma in leg. The use of turmeric proves useful in treating leg hematoma. Simply take a pinch of turmeric, place it in a glass containing hot milk, stir it and drink the mixture. Drink this mixture twice in a day until the leg hematoma recovers completely.

If you are using anticoagulants, ensure you consult your doctor. Your doctor will help reduce the dosage or tell you when to stop taking them to help fasten the healing process of a hematoma in leg.

Remember, prevention is better than cure. Players trying to minimize the injury impact when they play can prevent leg hematoma that results from an injury. Minimizing injury impact is possible with the use of protective equipment.

Wearing protective equipment helps reduce the occurrence of a hematoma in leg. It also helps keep the player away from exposing the risk of hematoma in leg.