Knee injuries Barretts, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that allows our bodies to carry out a vast scope of motions such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Suffering a knee injury makes walking and a lot of other basic activities painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently sustained a knee injury or are impacted by chronic knee pain, it is important to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Barretts, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we provide safe and effective treatment to hundreds of patients in the Barretts, MO area. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides individually tailored, evidence-based evaluation and treatment for people with knee injuries in Barretts, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in personalized treatment plans implemented specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Barretts, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is committed to serving the specific needs of each Barretts, 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 make up the knee joint. Around the knee the knee are leg muscles, which help move the knee, and tendons and ligaments that connect 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 to the front and back of 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.

Because of the complexity of the joint and the stresses placed on the knee, with bones, tendons, and ligaments that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries that one can sustain. If you’ve suffered a knee injury or are living with chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of Barretts, MO area physical therapists. Our team of expert therapists who are highly knowledgeable when 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 can be painful knee injuries that happen when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if left unattended or treated poorly can result in continued issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are usually caused by acute twisting injuries, or occur when an external 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 typical and are caused by weakness, muscle fatigue or improper mechanics. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can frequently take place in tandem with sprains, and happen when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s typically caused by 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 leaping and rotating/pivoting. In older adults, a cartilage tear in the knee can occur 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 bend or straighten the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also referred to as “jumper’s knee,” is a result of 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 may only occur when training or exercising. It is also frequently an overuse injury. Over time, the pain becomes worse and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If unattended, after a while you could have difficulty climbing stairs or even getting up from a chair. For that reason, it’s essential 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 problems between the patella and femur and is typically experienced climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The exact cause is not understood yet; however, most doctors and physical and occupational therapists presume these knee injuries occur when the knee is overused, or there is weakness of the quadriceps muscle and inflexibility of other hip and knee musculature.

Fractures are an exceptionally painful category of knee injuries and require urgent medical care. More destructive fractures can need surgery to repair the knee and return functionality. There are three common knee injuries associated with fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that frequently takes place when you fall exactly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a car accident or sustain another type of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it straight
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: takes place where the thigh bone and knee connect. The bone might shatter or can break straight across. Distal femoral knee injuries frequently also hurt the cartilage in the knee, which makes them difficult to treat. They usually occur in the elderly as their bones weaken, 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 bent
• Proximal Tibia: frequently damage the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it connects to the knee, is softer than 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 excessive activity, but most are the result of trauma from falling, sports injuries or motor vehicle crashes. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling surrounding the knee
  • Visually noticeable 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 occur when the femur and tibia are forced 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 somewhat atypical structure of the knee are at a greater risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Barretts, MO doctor will be able to put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be an important facet of the recovery process to reduce swelling, slowly increase 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-energy sports where players are landing after jumping or changing 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 inflammation and lack of stability. While ACL tears are often accompanied by injury to other parts of the knee, by themselves they are not always painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is a hit that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

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

• A physical examination. A Barretts, MO medical professional can evaluate the appearance and mobility of your knee while checking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are experts in human motion and offer free, no obligation injury evaluations for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can reveal broken bones and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from varying angles to make cross-sectional pictures of the inside of your knee. They can help reveal knee injuries such as subtle fractures.
• Ultrasounds use sound waves to make images of the soft tissue in your knee. Your doctor may move your knee into different positions to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is often utilized to show 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 Barretts, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your motion, your mobility, and will also investigate the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Barretts, MO County will recommend a customized treatment plan, which might include an appointment with a Barretts, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Minor 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 momentarily stop 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 cannot bear weight without pain. With some serious knee injuries, such as ACL tears or bone fractures, surgery is required to correct the structure of the knee and make the knee functional again. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A Barretts, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will put you on the path to safely restore movement and strength in your knee as your injury heals. Typical therapies for knee injuries include (depending on your injury):

• Stretches and strengthening exercises of the entire lower extremity
• 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 grounded in proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We guide you in your recuperation 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:

• 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
• Stroke Rehabilitation

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are managing knee pain or have recently sustained a knee injury, you need the specialized advice of Barretts, 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 dedicated, individualized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.