By Dr Dan Laptoiu, MD, Bucharest, Romania

A Contusion is essentially a "bruise".  This occurs most often from a blunt force striking some aspect of the body, resulting in bleeding under the skin (haematoma), and inside the skin (ecchymosis).  Patients will have localised swelling and tenderness that can be confused with fractured bone.Those individuals with a contusion to a lower extremity will usually retain theability to bear weight on the injured limb (unlike the patient with a fracture who cannot).