Knee injuries Augusta, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that permits our bodies to execute a wide range of functional activities such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Experiencing a knee injury makes walking and many other basic activities painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently suffered a knee injury or are impacted by chronic knee pain, it is important to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Augusta, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we provide safe and effective treatment to hundreds of Augusta, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides customized, evidence-based analysis and therapy for those with knee injuries in Augusta, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in personalized treatment plans made specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. Axes Physical Therapy is a network of physical therapy experts at various locations, each owned and operated by physical therapists. We are dedicated to serving the individual needs of each Augusta, MO patient we see.

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body. It joins the tibia (shin bone) to the femur (thigh bone). The fibula (the small bone that runs adjacent to the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that comprise the knee joint. Encircling the knee are leg muscles, which help move the knee, and tendons and ligaments that attach the knee bones to the leg muscles or ligaments which offer support and stability. These ligaments include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which give stability in front of and behind the knee, and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL), which stabilize sideways movement. The medial and lateral menisci behave like shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Due to the intricacy of the joint and the forces placed on the knee, with elements that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most typical musculoskeletal injuries that are suffered. If you’ve sustained a knee injury or are experiencing chronic knee pain, you need the attention and careful treatment of Augusta, MO area physical therapists. Our team of certified therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will lead you in your recuperation and restore complete mobility of your injured knee.

Types of Knee Injuries and Common Causes

Knee sprains can be painful knee injuries that take place when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if left unattended or treated poorly can lead to chronic issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are typically caused by acute twisting injuries, or occur when an outside force stretches or tears a ligament. It is usually a sports related injury that comes from force, such as a blow to the front or outside of the knee. Furthermore, non contact knee sprains are very common and occur because of weakness, muscle fatigue or improper technique. Symptoms include:

• Swelling
• Weakness or tenderness
• Pain and stiffness
• Popping
• Muscle Spasms

Torn cartilage can frequently happen in tandem with sprains, and happen when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s most often the result of forcefully twisting or rotating your knee and is often sustained in contact sports such as football, as well as sports like soccer or baseball with repeated jumping and rotating/pivoting. In older adults, a cartilage tear in the knee can take place with little or no trauma as the knee cartilage loses flexibility and pliability with age. Symptoms include:

• Soreness when working out or exercising
• Buckling or locking of the knee joint
• Crunching or popping noises when walking
• Difficulty bearing weight
• Inability to flex or straighten the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also called “jumper’s knee,” is caused by swelling of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is almost always the main symptom of this type of knee injury, and at first it may only occur when training or exercising. It frequently stems from overuse. Over time, the pain increases and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If unattended, eventually you could find it difficult to climb stairs or even get up from from a chair. For that reason, it’s important to seek out physical therapy for knee injuries.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a knee injury marked by pain that is generally felt in the front of the knee and worsens as time goes on. The pain is caused by tracking and alignment issues between the patella and femur and is often experienced climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. The exact cause is still unknown; however, most physicians and physical and occupational therapists suspect these knee injuries happen because of general overuse and weakness of the quadriceps muscle and inflexibility of other hip and knee musculature.

Fractures are a tremendously painful category of knee injuries and need urgent medical attention. More destructive fractures can necesitate surgery to repair the knee and return functionality. There are three common knee injuries related to fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that frequently takes place when you fall precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto crash or experience another kind of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to extend the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: occurs where the thigh bone and knee connect. The bone might shatter or might suffer a clean break. Distal femoral knee injuries frequently also damage the cartilage in the knee, which makes them hard to treat. They typically occur in the elderly as their bones weaken, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when putting weight on the knee
  • Swelling, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• Proximal Tibia: often harm the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it connects to the knee, is not as hard as the rest of the bone. These knee injuries often take place when the femur is forced by trauma into the soft bone at the top of the tibia. Proximal tibia knee injuries are sometimes minor breaks that occur from too much activity, but most are the result of trauma from falling, sports injuries or motor vehicle crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation around the knee
  • Visually apparent deformity or misalignment
  • Lack of feeling or warmth in the foot, as the flow of blood to the foot could be affected

Dislocation of the knee or kneecap can either take place when the femur and tibia are pushed out of alignment, or when the patella is forced out of place. These are usually caused by extreme force from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a slightly unusual structure of the knee are at a greater risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Augusta, MO doctor will be able to put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be a vital part of the rehabilitation process to reduce swelling, slowly improve motion and increase strength in the hip and leg musculature.

ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL Injuries can be either tears or sprains. ACL injuries can often happen in high-action sports where players are landing after jumping or switching direction quickly. The PCL can often be torn when force is applied to the front of the knee as it is bent. Symptoms of these knee injuries include swelling and lack of stability. While ACL tears are frequently accompanied by damage to other parts of the knee, ACL tears alone are often not painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is blunt force that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is vital to receive appropriate urgent and long-term care after experiencing a knee injury. The care you receive can account for either quick and effective recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In regards to knee injuries that cause clear and major trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be needed and a Augusta, MO ER doctor will endeavor to stabilize the knee as quickly as possible. Other means of diagnosis for knee injuries are:

• A physical examination. A Augusta, MO medical professional can analyze the appearance and mobility of your knee while looking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are specialists in human movement and carry out free, no obligation injury evaluations for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can show broken bones and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from various angles to make cross-sectional pictures of the inside of your knee. They can help detect knee injuries such as subtle fractures.
• Ultrasounds use sound waves to produce images of the soft tissue in your knee. Your doctor may rotate and extend your knee into different positions to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D pictures of the inside of your knee. This test is frequently implemented to detect soft tissue injuries, such as ACL tears or patellar tendonitis.

If you are suffering from pain caused by a knee injury, contact Axes Physical Therapy to work with a Augusta, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your movement, your mobility, and will also inspect how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Augusta, MO County will recommend a individually tailored treatment plan, which could include follow-up with a Augusta, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Slight knee injuries can often heal with the RICE Method: rest, ice, gentle compression, and elevation. If you feel pain, you need to rest and to temporarily cease any activity you think may have resulted in your injury. Get medical attention if you hear a popping noise or feel loss of stability when your injury first occurs, if you experience severe pain or swelling, are unable to move the knee, or are unable to bear weight without pain. With some serious knee injuries, such as ACL tears or broken bones, surgery is necessary to correct the structure of the knee and return functionality. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A Augusta, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will put you on the path to safely restore movement and strength to your knee as you recover. Typical therapies for knee injuries include (depending on your injury):

• Stretches and strengthening exercises of the entire leg and hip
• Core strengthening
• Ice and heat
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Electrical stimulation
• Proprioceptive exercises
• Functional return to sports, activity, and exercises

At Axes Physical Therapy, our treatment plans are founded on proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We lead you in your rehabilitation to safely get you back to the activities you love.

We treat a wide variety of conditions and complaints and have a team of specialists ready to help you. Some of our other services are:

• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are living with knee pain or have recently sustained a knee injury, you need the expert advice of Augusta, MO physical therapists to eliminate your pain and return you to full mobility. Axes Physical Therapy will help you get back to the sports and activities you love with the committed, personalized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.