Medial knee

Specific risks

The medial knee is at the greatest risk of injury with:

  • side lying in bed
  • contact between the knees in supine or sitting
  • spasticity, contractures, or poor leg positioning
  • wasting and muscle loss in the lower limbs increases bony prominences
  • history of a lower limb fracture with altered leg positioning or bony prominence from the fracture site
  • use of long leg plaster cast when managing a lower limb fracture
  • These areas should be assessed by palpating for ‘boggy’, soft, or tender areas.

Management of breakdown

  • Ensure offloading the bony prominence with pillows.
  • Review and manage spasticity or tone.
  • Review the range of movement of the lower limbs and options for positioning in lying or sitting.
  • Consider options for fracture management to enable frequent skin checking of at-risk bony prominences.  Consult the QSCIS team for advice.

Check out other pressure injury locations and learn how to manage them.