Knee injuries Defiance, MO. The knee is a multifaceted joint that allows our bodies to execute a wide scope of movements like sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Suffering a knee injury makes walking and a lot of other basic tasks painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently had a knee injury or suffer from chronic knee pain, it is important to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Defiance, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we provide safe and effective treatment to hundreds of Defiance, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

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

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the biggest and most complex joints in the body. It attaches the tibia (shin bone) to the femur (thigh bone). The fibula (the small bone that runs on the side of the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that form the knee joint. Surrounding the knee are leg muscles, which help move the knee, and tendons and ligaments that join the knee bones to the leg muscles or ligaments which provide 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 side-to-side movement. The medial and lateral menisci act as shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Because of the intricacy of the joint and the forces 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 sustained a knee injury or are dealing with chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of Defiance, MO area physical therapists. Our team of qualified therapists who are highly knowledgeable when treating knee injuries will guide you in your recuperation and help you regain complete mobility of your injured knee.

Types of Knee Injuries and Common Causes

Knee sprains are knee injuries that can cause a lot of pain, and they occur when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if left unattended or treated poorly can cause continued problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are usually caused by acute twisting injuries, or injuries the result of external forces that stretch or tear 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 result from weakness, muscle fatigue or incorrect 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 usually 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:

• 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 straighten the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also known 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 variety of knee injury, and initially it may only occur when training or exercising. It is also frequently an overuse injury. Over time, the pain increases and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, after a while you could have difficulty climbing stairs or even rising from a chair. That’s why it’s important to receive 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 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 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 an especially painful variety of knee injuries and need emergency medical treatment. More complex 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 typically takes place when you fall precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a car 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 straight
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: takes place where the thigh bone and knee touch. The bone might shatter or can break straight across. Distal femoral knee injuries often also injure the cartilage in the knee, which makes them difficult to treat. They usually occur in the elderly whose bones have become weaker, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when putting weight on the knee
  • Inflammation, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and contorted
• Proximal Tibia: often injure 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 happen because of falling, sports injuries or car crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation surrounding the knee
  • Visually evident deformity or misalignment
  • Numb, pale, or cold feet, as the flow of blood to the foot could be restricted

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 most often caused by high impact trauma from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a somewhat unusual structure of the knee are at a greater risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Defiance, MO doctor will be able to put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be an important aspect of the recuperation process to reduce swelling, gradually increase 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 occur in high-action sports where players are landing after jumping or switching direction rapidly. The PCL can frequently be torn when there is trauma 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 often accompanied by damage to other parts of the knee, ACL tears alone are not always painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is a blow that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is important to receive the correct immediate and long-term treatment after suffering a knee injury. The treatment you receive can account for either quick and effective recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In regards to knee injuries involving obvious and serious trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be necessary and a Defiance, MO ER doctor will endeavor to stabilize the knee as quickly as possible. Other methods of diagnosis for knee injuries are:

• A physical examination. A Defiance, MO medical professional can evaluate the appearance and mobility of your knee while looking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are professionals in human movement and offer free, no obligation injury evaluations for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can reveal bone fractures and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from different angles to create cross-sectional pictures of the inside 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 rotate and extend your knee into different positions to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is frequently utilized to detect 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 Defiance, MO physical therapist who specializes in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your motion, your mobility, and will also check the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Defiance, MO County will recommend a bespoke treatment plan, which could include follow-up with a Defiance, 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 are experiencing pain, you need to rest and to momentarily 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 at the time of your injury, if you experience severe pain or swelling, cannot move the knee, or are unable to bear weight without pain. With some grave knee injuries, such as ACL tears or bone fractures, surgery is needed 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 Defiance, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will help you 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 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 based on proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We lead you in your recuperation to safely return you 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 Defiance, MO physical therapists to eliminate your pain and get you back 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.