Knee injuries Avon, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that lets our bodies accomplish a wide range of movements like sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Suffering a knee injury makes walking and a lot of other daily tasks painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently suffered a knee injury or are impacted by chronic knee pain, it is vital to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Avon, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we offer safe and effective treatment to hundreds of Avon, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides bespoke, evidence-based analysis and therapy for those with knee injuries in Avon, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in custom tailored treatment plans designed specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Avon, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is devoted to serving the specific needs of each Avon, MO patient we see.

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints we have. It attaches the tibia (shin bone) to the femur (thigh bone). The fibula (the small bone that runs next to the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that form the knee joint. Around the knee the knee are leg muscles, which are responsible for the knee’s movements, and tendons and ligaments that attach the knee bones to the leg muscles or ligaments which help stabilize the knee. These ligaments include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which provide stability in front of and behind the knee, and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL), which stabilize side-to-side movement. The medial and lateral menisci are shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Owing to the complexity of the joint and the strain placed on the knee, with structures that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most commonly seen musculoskeletal injuries that are suffered. If you’ve suffered a knee injury or are living with chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of Avon, MO area physical therapists. Our team of professional therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will guide you in your recovery and restore complete mobility of your injured knee.

Types of Knee Injuries and Common Causes

Knee sprains are knee injuries that can hurt a lot, and they take place when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if untreated or treated improperly can cause chronic issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are typically the result of 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. Additionally, non contact knee sprains are very common and result from weakness, muscle fatigue or improper technique. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can often happen in tandem with sprains, and take place when damage to the knee tears the menisci. It’s typically 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 external force as the knee cartilage loses flexibility and pliability with age. Symptoms include:

• Dull pain when working out or exercising
• Buckling or locking of the knee joint
• Crunching or popping noises when walking
• Difficulty bearing weight
• Inability to bend or extend the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also referred to as “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 sort of knee injury, and at the start it might only occur when training or exercising. It is also commonly an overuse injury. Over time, the pain increases and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, eventually you could find it difficult to climb stairs or even get up from from a chair. That’s why it’s vital 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 a result of tracking and alignment issues between the patella and femur and is often experienced climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The exact cause is still unknown; however, most doctors and physical and occupational therapists presume 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 variety of knee injuries and necesitate urgent medical care. More destructive fractures can need surgery to repair the knee and allow it to function normally again. There are three common knee injuries associated with fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that typically takes place when you land exactly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto crash or suffer another kind of heavy blow to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to extend the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: takes place where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone may shatter or may suffer a clean break. Distal femoral knee injuries often also damage the cartilage in the knee, which makes them hard to treat. They typically occur in the elderly whose bones have become weaker, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when placing weight on the knee
  • Swelling, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• Proximal Tibia: often damage the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it meets the knee, is not as hard as the rest of the bone. These knee injuries often occur when the femur is forced by trauma into the soft bone at the top of the tibia. Proximal tibia knee injuries are occasionally minor breaks that occur from excessive activity, but most are the result of trauma from falling, sports injuries or car crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation surrounding the knee
  • Visually apparent deformity or misalignment
  • Numb, pale, or cold feet, as the flow of blood to the foot could be affected

Dislocation of the knee or kneecap can either occur when the femur and tibia are forced out of alignment, or when the patella is pushed out of place. These are frequently caused by high energy trauma 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 Avon, MO doctor will be able to correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be an essential aspect of the rehabilitation process to reduce swelling, gradually improve movement and increase strength in the hip and leg musculature.

ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL Injuries can be both tears or sprains. ACL injuries can often take place in high-action sports where players are landing after jumping or changing direction rapidly. The PCL can often be torn when there is trauma to the front of the knee as it is bent. Symptoms of these knee injuries include inflammation and knee instability. While ACL tears are often accompanied by harm to other parts of the knee, ACL tears alone are not always painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is blunt force that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is vital to receive the proper immediate and long-term treatment 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 evident and serious trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be needed and a Avon, 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 Avon, MO medical professional can analyze the appearance and movement of your knee while looking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are experts in human motion and carry out free, no obligation injury screenings for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can show broken bones and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from different angles to produce cross-sectional images of your knee. They can help reveal knee injuries such as subtle fractures.
• Ultrasounds use sound waves to create images of the soft tissue in your knee. Your doctor may move your knee at different angles to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is often utilized to reveal soft tissue injuries, such as ACL tears or patellar tendonitis.

If you are dealing with pain caused by a knee injury, contact Axes Physical Therapy to work with a Avon, MO physical therapist who specializes in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your movement, your mobility, and will also examine the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Avon, MO County will recommend a bespoke treatment plan, which could include follow-up with a Avon, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Less significant knee injuries can be treated using the RICE Method: rest, ice, gentle compression, and elevation. If you feel pain, it’s important to rest and to momentarily stop any activity you think may have caused 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 grave knee injuries, such as ACL tears or broken bones, surgery is needed to correct the structure of the knee and return functionality. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A Avon, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will put you on the path to safely restore motion and strength to your knee as you recuperate. 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 guide 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:

• Back Pain Treatment
• Neck Pain Treatment
• 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

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are dealing with knee pain or have recently suffered a knee injury, you need the specialized advice of Avon, MO physical therapists to eliminate your pain and return you to full motion. 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 discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.