Knee injuries Old Jamestown, MO. The knee is a multifaceted joint that allows our bodies to accomplish a wide array of movements like sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Sustaining a knee injury makes walking and many other basic tasks painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently sustained a knee injury or are affected by chronic knee pain, it is vital to find top-notch physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Old Jamestown, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we give safe and effective treatment to hundreds of Old Jamestown, MO residents. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides personalized, evidence-based analysis and therapy for those with knee injuries in Old Jamestown, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in personalized treatment plans implemented specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Old Jamestown, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is dedicated to serving the individual needs of each Old Jamestown, 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 next to the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that constitute 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 provide support and stability. 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 are shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Owing to the intricacy of the joint and the forces placed on the knee, with parts that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most typical 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 Old Jamestown, MO area physical therapists. Our team of professional therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will lead you in your recuperation and help you regain complete 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 left unattended or treated poorly can result in chronic issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are typically the result of 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 hit to the front or outside of the knee. Furthermore, non contact knee sprains are very common and are caused by weakness, muscle fatigue or poor technique. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can frequently take place take place at the same time as sprains, and occur when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s most frequently the result of 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 repeated leaping 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:

• 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 called “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 category of knee injury, and initially it may only occur when working out or exercising. It is also frequently an overuse injury. Over time, the pain worsens 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. That’s why it’s essential 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 typically experienced climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The specific cause is still unknown; however, most physicians 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 incredibly painful variety of knee injuries and necesitate urgent medical care. More destructive fractures can necesitate surgery to repair the knee and return functionality. There are three common knee injuries associated with fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that typically occurs when you fall precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a motor vehicle crash or sustain another type of heavy blow to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, inflammation, and bruising
  • Inability to extend the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: occurs where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone might shatter or might suffer a clean break. 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 whose bones have become weaker, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when placing weight on the knee
  • Inflammation, bruising, and aching
  • The leg may look shorter and contorted
• Proximal Tibia: often harm 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 often 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 happen because of falling, sports injuries or car crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation surrounding the knee
  • Visually obvious 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 pushed out of place. These are typically caused by extreme force from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a slightly atypical structure of the knee are at a greater risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Old Jamestown, MO doctor can correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be an important aspect of the recuperation process to reduce swelling, slowly improve 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 take place in high-energy 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 swelling and lack of stability. While ACL tears are frequently 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 appropriate immediate and long-term treatment after sustaining a knee injury. The treatment you receive can account for either quick and effective 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 required and a Old Jamestown, 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 Old Jamestown, 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 motion and provide free, no obligation injury evaluations for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can reveal bone fractures and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from different 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 produce 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 used 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 Old Jamestown, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your motion, your mobility, and will also investigate the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Old Jamestown, MO County will recommend a individually tailored treatment plan, which may include an appointment with a Old Jamestown, 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 are experiencing pain, it’s important to rest and to momentarily cease any activity you think may have caused 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, cannot move the knee, or are unable to 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 Old Jamestown, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will help you safely restore movement and strength to your knee as you recover. Typical 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 guide you in your rehabilitation 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:

• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
• Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
• Migraine Relief
• Sprain and Strain Treatment
• Geriatric Physical Therapy
• Injury Rehabilitation
• Pain Management Services
• TMJ Treatment
• Herniated Disc Treatment

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are experiencing knee pain or have recently suffered a knee injury, you need the expert advice of Old Jamestown, 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, personalized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.