Amitabh Bachchan, 83, suffers knee injury after fall: ‘I had trouble standing up’ - The Indian Express
Amitabh Bachchan, 83, recently revealed that he suffered a knee injury on a set and, in fact, began the opening sequence of the latest Kaun Banega Crorepati 18 episode seated. “Usually, I don’t sit here. I do my monologue standing at the centre, but today, I injured my knee. Yesterday, during the shoot, I slipped and fell with a loud thud and injured my knee. It’s torn. So I had trouble standing up. I thought I’d talk while sitting and then play with you standing up later. Don’t worry,” he said.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Taking a cue from his admission, we reached out to an expert to understand more about knee injuries following a fall.
Dr Ashish Phadnis, director of orthopaedics at Jupiter Hospital Thane, said a slip or fall can affect different structures around the knee, depending on the force and how a person lands. “It can range from a simple bruise, swelling or soft-tissue injury to a ligament or meniscus injury, or even a fracture. In older adults, whose bones may be more fragile, a fall can occasionally cause an avulsion injury, where a ligament pulls off a small piece of bone while the ligament itself remains intact. The mechanism of the fall and the symptoms afterwards usually give the first clues about the nature of the injury,” said Dr Phadnis.
According to Dr Phadnis, difficulty standing up can occur because of pain, swelling, stiffness, or temporary restriction of knee movement and does not automatically mean a serious injury. “However, symptoms should not be ignored if the pain is severe or out of proportion to the fall, if there is significant swelling, difficulty putting weight on the leg, instability or a feeling that the knee is giving way or locking. In such situations, medical evaluation is advisable,” said Dr Phadnis.
The first step is to avoid repeatedly testing or putting unnecessary strain on the injured knee. “Rest the leg and use an ice pack wrapped in a cloth for around 15–20 minutes at a time during the initial period. Elevation can also help if there is swelling. More importantly, listen to your body and give the knee time to recover. If the pain or swelling does not settle, or the symptoms appear significant, it is better to seek medical advice rather than simply returning to normal activity,” Dr Phadnis told indianexpress.com.
No, Dr Phadnis clarified, adding that an X-ray helps identify fractures and assess bones, but it cannot show many soft-tissue injuries involving structures such as ligaments and the meniscus. “Sometimes the initial X-ray may appear normal, and the patient may start feeling better and walking normally, only to develop persistent problems later. Depending on the examination and symptoms, an orthopaedic specialist may ask the patient to return for a follow-up after a week or 10 days and may recommend an MRI if a soft-tissue injury is suspected.”
Yes, affirmed Dr Phadnis, adding that older adults may have weaker bones and pre-existing conditions such as osteoarthritis, which can make them more vulnerable to injury and can also worsen after a fall. “Someone with an already arthritic knee may experience increased pain and difficulty walking following even a relatively minor injury. A ligament injury can also cause instability and increase the tendency for recurrent falls. Physiotherapy and appropriate strengthening exercises can help restore stability, while significant ligament injuries may require surgical treatment in selected cases. Therefore, a fall in an elderly person should not be dismissed simply because they are able to walk again,” said Dr Phadnis.
