Knee injuries Des Peres, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that allows our bodies to perform a wide array of motions such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Sustaining a knee injury makes walking and a lot of other daily tasks painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently had a knee injury or experience chronic knee pain, it is vital to find top-notch physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Des Peres, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we provide safe and effective treatment to hundreds of patients in the Des Peres, MO area. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

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

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the biggest and most complex joints we have. It connects 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. Around the knee 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 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 behave like shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Because of the intricacy of the joint and the stresses placed on the knee, with parts 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 dealing with chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of Des Peres, MO area physical therapists. Our team of professional therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will guide you in your rehabilitation and restore full 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 untreated or treated incorrectly can lead to chronic problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are often the result of 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. Additionally, non contact knee sprains are very common and are caused by weakness, muscle fatigue or poor mechanics. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can frequently happen take place at the same time as sprains, and occur when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s most frequently 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 continued jumping 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 inflammation of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is typically the main symptom of this kind of knee injury, and at the start it may only occur when training or exercising. It is also often an overuse injury. Over time, the pain worsens and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, after a while you could find it difficult to climb stairs or even get up from from a chair. For that reason, it’s vital to seek out physical therapy for knee injuries.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a knee injury that worsens with time and causes pain felt in the front of the knee. The pain is caused by tracking and alignment problems between the patella and femur and is commonly 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 occur when the knee is overused, or there is weakness of the quadriceps muscle and inflexibility of other hip and knee musculature.

Fractures are a tremendously painful category of knee injuries and necesitate emergency medical treatment. More complicated fractures can necesitate 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 happens when you land precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto accident or suffer another kind of heavy blow to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: occurs where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone can shatter or may break straight across. Distal femoral knee injuries often also hurt 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 placing weight on the knee
  • Swelling, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• 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 frequently happen 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 auto accidents. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling surrounding the knee
  • Visually noticeable 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 happen when the femur and tibia are pushed out of alignment, or when the patella is forced out of place. These are frequently caused by high energy trauma from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a somewhat abnormal structure of the knee are at a heightened risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Des Peres, MO doctor will be able to correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be a vital facet of the rehabilitation process to reduce swelling, gradually improve movement and improve strength in the hip and leg musculature.

ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL Injuries can be either tears or sprains. ACL injuries can often take place in high-action sports where players are landing after jumping or changing direction quickly. 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 swelling and lack of stability. While ACL tears are frequently accompanied by damage to other parts of the knee, by themselves they are often not 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 care after suffering a knee injury. The treatment you receive can be the difference between a swift and strong recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In regards to knee injuries involving obvious and severe trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be necessary and a Des Peres, 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 Des Peres, MO medical professional can evaluate the appearance and movement of your knee while looking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are experts in human motion and provide 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 different angles to produce cross-sectional images 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 move your knee at different angles to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D pictures of the inside of your knee. This test is frequently used 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 Des Peres, MO physical therapist who specializes in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your movement, your mobility, and will also check how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Des Peres, MO County will recommend a bespoke treatment plan, which might include follow-up with a Des Peres, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Minor knee injuries can be treated using the RICE Method: rest, ice, gentle compression, and elevation. If you are experiencing pain, you need to rest and to temporarily cease any activity you think may have caused 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, are unable to move the knee, or cannot bear weight without pain. With some grave knee injuries, such as ACL tears or bone fractures, surgery is necessary 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 Des Peres, 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. Common 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 based on proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We lead you in your recovery 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:

• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
• Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
• Migraine Relief
• Sprain and Strain Treatment
• Geriatric Physical Therapy
• Injury Rehabilitation
• Pain Management Services
• TMJ Treatment
• Herniated Disc Treatment

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are managing knee pain or have recently sustained a knee injury, you require the specialized advice of Des Peres, 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 devoted, personalized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.