Knee injuries Oakland, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that allows our bodies to carry out a vast array of functional activities such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Suffering a knee injury makes walking and many other daily activities painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently had a knee injury or suffer from chronic knee pain, it is essential to find top-notch physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Oakland, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we give safe and effective therapy to hundreds of Oakland, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

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

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the biggest and most complex joints in the body. 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 constitute the knee joint. Around the knee the knee are leg muscles, which are responsible for the knee’s movements, and tendons and ligaments that connect 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 side-to-side 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 structures 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 suffered a knee injury or are dealing with chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of Oakland, MO area physical therapists. Our team of qualified therapists who specialize in 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 are knee injuries that can cause a lot of pain, and they take place when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if left unattended or treated incorrectly can cause chronic issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are commonly caused by acute twisting injuries, or injuries caused by external 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. Additionally, non contact knee sprains are very common and result from weakness, muscle fatigue or improper technique. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can frequently occur in tandem with sprains, and happen when damage 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 happen with little or no external force 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 straighten 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 usually the main symptom of this sort of knee injury, and at the start it might only occur when working out or exercising. It often stems from overuse. Over time, the pain worsens and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, eventually you could have trouble climbing stairs or even getting up 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 a result of tracking and alignment problems between the patella and femur and is often experienced climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The exact cause is still unknown; however, most physicians and physical and occupational therapists suspect 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 exceptionally painful variety of knee injuries and require urgent medical care. More complex 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 directly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a car accident or sustain 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: takes place where the thigh bone and knee touch. The bone may shatter or might break straight across. Because distal femoral knee injuries can hurt the cartilage in the knee, they can sometimes be harder to treat. They typically occur in the elderly as their bones weaken, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when putting weight on the knee
  • Swelling, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and bent
• Proximal Tibia: often injure the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it meets 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 too much activity, but most are the result of trauma from falling, sports injuries or auto crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation surrounding the knee
  • Visually clear 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 occur when the femur and tibia are forced out of alignment, or when the patella is pushed out of place. These are usually caused by high impact trauma from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a slightly atypical structure of the knee are at a heightened risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Oakland, MO doctor will be able to correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be an essential part of the rehabilitation process to reduce swelling, gradually increase movement and improve strength in the hip and leg musculature.

ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL Injuries can be both tears or sprains. ACL injuries can often occur in high-energy sports where players are landing after jumping or switching direction rapidly. 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 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 treatment after suffering 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 obvious and major trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be needed and a Oakland, 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 Oakland, MO medical professional can analyze the appearance and mobility of your knee while checking for inflammation or tenderness. Our physical therapists are experts in human movement and provide free, no obligation injury screenings 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 make cross-sectional images of your knee. They can help reveal 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 into different positions to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is often used 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 Oakland, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your motion, your mobility, and will also inspect the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Oakland, MO County will recommend a customized treatment plan, which could include an appointment with a Oakland, 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 feel pain, you need to rest and to temporarily cease any activity you think may have led to your injury. Get 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 are unable to bear weight without pain. With some serious knee injuries, such as ACL tears or broken bones, surgery is needed 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 Oakland, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will help you safely restore movement 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 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 founded on proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We lead you in your recovery 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 living with knee pain or have recently sustained a knee injury, you require the professional advice of Oakland, 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, customized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.