Knee injuries Eureka, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that lets our bodies perform a wide scope of motions such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Experiencing a knee injury makes walking and many other daily tasks painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently suffered a knee injury or are affected by chronic knee pain, it is important to find top-notch physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Eureka, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we give safe and effective treatment to hundreds of Eureka, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

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

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the biggest and most complex joints we have. 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 comprise the knee joint. Surrounding 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 help stabilize the knee. These ligaments include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which offer 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.

Due to the intricacy of the joint and the strain placed on the knee, with parts that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries that are suffered. If you’ve suffered a knee injury or are experiencing chronic knee pain, you need the attention and careful treatment of Eureka, MO area physical therapists. Our team of certified therapists who are highly knowledgeable when treating knee injuries will guide you in your recuperation and restore full mobility of your injured knee.

Types of Knee Injuries and Common Causes

Knee sprains can be painful knee injuries that occur when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if untreated or cared for poorly can lead to continued problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are typically the result of acute twisting injuries, or injuries the result of outside forces that stretch or tear a ligament. It is usually a sports related injury that comes from force, such as a knock to the front or outside of the knee. Furthermore, non contact knee sprains are very typical and result from 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 occur when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s typically caused by forcefully twisting or rotating your knee and is common 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 happen 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 flex or straighten the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also known 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 first it may only occur when working out 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 untreated, eventually you could have difficulty climbing stairs or even getting up 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 a result of tracking and alignment issues between the patella and femur and is often felt when climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. The specific cause is still unknown; however, most physicians and physical and occupational therapists presume these knee injuries occur 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 require urgent medical treatment. More complex fractures can need surgery to repair the knee and return functionality. There are three common knee injuries related to fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that typically takes place when you land directly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto crash or sustain another kind of heavy blow to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to extend the knee or keep it straight
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: occurs where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone might shatter or might break straight across. Distal femoral knee injuries often also hurt the cartilage in the knee, which makes them hard to treat. They most often 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 soreness
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• 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 frequently take place 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:
  • Swelling around the knee
  • Visually noticeable 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 happen when the femur and tibia are forced 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 unusual structure of the knee are at a heightened risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Eureka, MO doctor will be able to put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be an essential part of the rehabilitation process to reduce swelling, gradually improve motion 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 switching direction quickly. 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 inflammation and knee instability. While ACL tears are often accompanied by harm 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 vital to receive appropriate immediate and long-term care after sustaining a knee injury. The care 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 serious trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be needed and a Eureka, 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 Eureka, MO medical professional can analyze the appearance and mobility of your knee while checking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are experts in human motion and conduct 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 produce cross-sectional pictures of the inside of your knee. They can help detect knee injuries such as subtle fractures.
• Ultrasounds use sound waves to make 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 often implemented to reveal 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 Eureka, MO physical therapist who is an expert 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 Eureka, MO County will recommend a personalized treatment plan, which might include follow-up with a Eureka, 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, it’s important to rest and to momentarily 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 are unable to bear weight without pain. With some serious knee injuries, such as ACL tears or broken bones, surgery is required to correct the structure of the knee and return functionality. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A Eureka, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will help you safely restore movement and strength in your knee as you recuperate. Common therapies for knee injuries are (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 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:

• 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 suffering from knee pain or have recently suffered a knee injury, you need the professional advice of Eureka, MO physical therapists to eliminate your pain and get you back to full motion. Axes Physical Therapy will help you get back to the sports and activities you love with the committed, customized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.