Knee injuries Huntleigh, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that permits our bodies to execute a wide array of movements 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 experienced a knee injury or are impacted by chronic knee pain, it is essential to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Huntleigh, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we offer safe and effective treatment to hundreds of Huntleigh, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides personalized, evidence-based evaluation and therapy for people with knee injuries in Huntleigh, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in customized treatment plans created specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Huntleigh, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is dedicated to serving the individual needs of each Huntleigh, 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 form the knee joint. Surrounding the knee are leg muscles, which drive the knee’s movements, and tendons and ligaments that attach the knee bones to the leg muscles or ligaments which give support and stability. 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 act as shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Owing to the complexity 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 sustained a knee injury or are living with chronic knee pain, you need the attention and careful treatment of Huntleigh, MO area physical therapists. Our team of certified 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 inadequately can cause chronic issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are commonly 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 hit to the front or outside of the knee. Additionally, non contact knee sprains are very typical 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 take place in tandem with sprains, and occur when damage to the knee tears the menisci. It’s most frequently 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 take place with little or no external force 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 extend 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 typically the main symptom of this variety of knee injury, and at first it may only occur when training or exercising. It is also commonly an overuse injury. Over time, the pain becomes worse 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. For that reason, 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 commonly experienced climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The exact cause is still unknown; however, most physicians and physical and occupational therapists think 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 incredibly painful category of knee injuries and need emergency medical care. More complicated fractures can require 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 car accident or suffer another kind of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, inflammation, 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 can shatter or might break straight across. Because distal femoral knee injuries can damage the cartilage in the knee, they can sometimes be more difficult 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 putting weight on the knee
  • Inflammation, 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 often occur 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 are the result of trauma from falling, sports injuries or car crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation surrounding the knee
  • Visually obvious 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 pushed out of alignment, or when the patella is forced out of place. These are most often caused by high impact trauma from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a somewhat atypical structure of the knee are at a heightened risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Huntleigh, 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 recuperation process to reduce swelling, gradually increase motion 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 happen in high-action sports where players are landing after jumping or switching 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 frequently accompanied by harm to other parts of the knee, by themselves they 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 appropriate urgent and long-term care after experiencing a knee injury. The treatment you receive can account for either quick and effective recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In the event of knee injuries involving evident and serious trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be needed and a Huntleigh, MO ER doctor will work to stabilize the knee as quickly as possible. Other methods of diagnosis for knee injuries are:

• A physical examination. A Huntleigh, MO medical professional can analyze the appearance and mobility of your knee while checking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are professionals in human motion and provide free, no obligation injury evaluations for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can detect bone fractures 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 build 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 used 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 Huntleigh, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your motion, your mobility, and will also investigate how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Huntleigh, MO County will recommend a individually tailored treatment plan, which may include an appointment with a Huntleigh, 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, you need to rest and to temporarily stop any activity you think may have led to your injury. Seek 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 grave 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 Huntleigh, 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 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 designed from 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:

• 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 living with knee pain or have recently experienced a knee injury, you need the professional advice of Huntleigh, MO physical therapists to eliminate your pain and return you to full mobility. Axes Physical Therapy will help you get back to the sports and activities you love with the devoted, customized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.