What is a 'hematoma'?

What is a 'hematoma'?

Gary Brazina (Sports Medicine Physician) gives expert video advice on: What is a 'bruise' or 'contusion'?; What is a 'hematoma'?; What is a 'hemobursa'?

A hematoma is a bloodclot, and it can start off as a bruise. Large hematomas can develop in areas where there is a lot of blood trauma. For example, being hit in the thigh by a helmet - a football player without pads - and it bleeds into an area. Sometimes these wall off and need to be drained, but a hematoma is essentially a collection of blood.