Knee injuries Knob Lick, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that permits our bodies to accomplish a wide range of motions such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Sustaining a knee injury makes walking and a lot of other basic activities painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently had a knee injury or are impacted by chronic knee pain, it is vital to find first-rate physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Knob Lick, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we offer safe and effective therapy to hundreds of Knob Lick, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides bespoke, evidence-based analysis and therapy for people with knee injuries in Knob Lick, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in custom tailored treatment plans made specifically for your injury, needs and movement goals. Axes Physical Therapy is a network of physical therapy experts at various locations, each owned and operated by physical therapists. We are devoted to serving the individual needs of each Knob Lick, MO resident we treat.

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the biggest 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 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 in front of and behind 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.

Owing to the intricacy of the joint and the stresses placed on the knee, with elements 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 suffered a knee injury or are dealing with chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of Knob Lick, MO area physical therapists. Our team of professional therapists who are highly knowledgeable when treating knee injuries will guide you in your rehabilitation and restore complete 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 left unattended or treated inadequately can lead to chronic problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are typically 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 blow to the front or outside of the knee. Furthermore, non contact knee sprains are very typical and occur because of weakness, muscle fatigue or improper technique. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can frequently occur take place at the same time as sprains, and take place when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s most frequently the result of forcefully twisting or rotating your knee and is often seen in contact sports such as football, as well as sports like soccer or baseball with repeated 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:

• 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 extend the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also called “jumper’s knee,” is caused by inflammation of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is commonly the main symptom of this kind of knee injury, and at the start it might only occur when training or exercising. It is also often an overuse injury. Over time, the pain becomes worse and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If unattended, 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 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 issues between the patella and femur and is typically felt when climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. The exact cause is not understood yet; 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 an especially painful type of knee injuries and necesitate urgent medical attention. More complicated fractures can require surgery to repair the knee and allow it to function normally again. There are three common knee injuries related to fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that frequently happens when you land exactly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a car crash or suffer another type of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten 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 may break straight across. Distal femoral knee injuries frequently also hurt the cartilage in the knee, which makes them hard 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 placing weight on the knee
  • Swelling, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and contorted
• 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 often 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 excessive activity, but most happen because of falling, sports injuries or auto crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation around the knee
  • Visually obvious 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 pushed out of place. These are usually caused by high energy 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 Knob Lick, MO doctor can put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be a vital part of the recovery process to reduce swelling, slowly 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 often be torn when there is trauma 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 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 vital to receive the proper immediate and long-term care after sustaining a knee injury. The care you receive can account for either quick and effective recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In the event of knee injuries involving clear and serious trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be necessary and a Knob Lick, 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 Knob Lick, MO medical professional can analyze the appearance and movement of your knee while checking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are professionals in human movement and carry out free, no obligation injury evaluations for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can show broken bones and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from varying angles to make 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 at different angles to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is often implemented to detect 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 Knob Lick, MO physical therapist who specializes in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your motion, your mobility, and will also check the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Knob Lick, MO County will recommend a bespoke treatment plan, which could include follow-up with a Knob Lick, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Small 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 temporarily cease any activity you think may have resulted in your injury. Seek 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 Knob Lick, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will help you safely restore motion and strength to your knee as your injury heals. Common 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 founded on proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We lead you in your rehabilitation 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:

• 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
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are experiencing knee pain or have recently sustained a knee injury, you need the specialized advice of Knob Lick, 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 devoted, personalized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.