Knee injuries Ironton, MO. The knee is a multifaceted joint that allows our bodies to accomplish a wide scope of functional activities such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Sustaining a knee injury makes walking and many other daily tasks painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently experienced a knee injury or suffer from chronic knee pain, it is vital to find first-rate physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Ironton, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we provide safe and effective care to hundreds of Ironton, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides individually tailored, evidence-based evaluation and treatment for those with knee injuries in Ironton, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in customized treatment plans created specifically for your injury, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Ironton, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is committed to serving the individual needs of each Ironton, 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 on the side of the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that form the knee joint. Encircling 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 give support and stability. These ligaments include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which provide 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.

Due to 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 commonly seen musculoskeletal injuries that one can sustain. If you’ve experienced a knee injury or are dealing with chronic knee pain, you need the attention and careful treatment of Ironton, MO area physical therapists. Our team of expert therapists who are highly knowledgeable when treating knee injuries will guide you in your recuperation and restore 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 happen when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if untreated or treated incorrectly can cause chronic issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are commonly caused by acute twisting injuries, or injuries caused by outside 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 mechanics. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can frequently occur in tandem with sprains, and take place when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s most frequently 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 continued 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 training or exercising
• Buckling or locking of the knee joint
• Crunching or popping noises when walking
• Difficulty bearing weight
• Inability to flex or extend the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also called “jumper’s knee,” is a result of inflammation 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 at first it may only occur when working out or exercising. It frequently stems from overuse. Over time, the pain increases and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If unattended, after a while you could have trouble 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 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 often felt when climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. The exact cause is still unknown; however, most doctors and physical and occupational therapists think 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 of of knee injuries and necesitate urgent medical attention. More complex 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 occurs when you land exactly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto accident or sustain 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: happens where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone may shatter or might suffer a clean break. Distal femoral knee injuries often also hurt the cartilage in the knee, which makes them difficult 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 aching
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• Proximal Tibia: frequently harm the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it meets the knee, is softer than 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 motor vehicle crashes. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling surrounding the knee
  • Visually clear deformity or misalignment
  • Lack of feeling or warmth in the foot, 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 pushed out of alignment, or when the patella is pushed out of place. These are usually caused by extreme force from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a slightly abnormal structure of the knee are at a higher risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Ironton, MO doctor will be able to correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be an important aspect of the recuperation process to reduce swelling, gradually improve movement 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 happen in high-action sports where players are landing after jumping or changing 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, ACL tears alone 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 the correct urgent and long-term care after experiencing 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 the event of knee injuries involving obvious and serious trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be needed and a Ironton, 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 Ironton, MO medical professional can evaluate the appearance and mobility of your knee while looking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are specialists in human movement and offer free, no obligation injury screenings for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can show broken bones and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from various angles to build 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 pictures of the inside of your knee. This test is frequently implemented to show 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 Ironton, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your movement, your mobility, and will also examine how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Ironton, MO County will recommend a personalized treatment plan, which could include follow-up with a Ironton, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Slight 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 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 at the time of your injury, if you experience severe pain or swelling, cannot move the knee, or cannot bear weight without pain. With some grave 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 Ironton, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will put you on the path to safely restore motion and strength to your knee as your injury heals. 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 grounded in proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We guide 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 experiencing knee pain or have recently sustained a knee injury, you require the specialized advice of Ironton, 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 committed, individualized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.