Knee injuries Otto, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that permits our bodies to accomplish a wide scope of motions such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Sustaining a knee injury makes walking and many other daily activities painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently suffered a knee injury or are affected by chronic knee pain, it is essential to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Otto, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we give safe and effective therapy to hundreds of patients in the Otto, MO area. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

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

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 form the knee joint. Encircling the knee are leg muscles, which drive the knee’s movements, and tendons and ligaments that join the knee bones to the leg muscles or ligaments which offer 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 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 elements 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 care and careful treatment of Otto, MO area physical therapists. Our team of professional therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will guide you in your recovery 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 take place when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if left unattended or treated improperly can result in continued problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are often the result of 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 typical and are caused by weakness, muscle fatigue or incorrect mechanics. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can frequently take place in tandem with sprains, and occur 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 take place with little or no trauma 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 known as “jumper’s knee,” is a result of 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 may only occur when training 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 untreated, after a while you could have difficulty climbing stairs or even getting up from a chair. For that reason, it’s essential 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 a result of tracking and alignment issues between the patella and femur and is typically experienced climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. The exact 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 exceptionally painful of of knee injuries and require urgent medical attention. More complicated fractures can necesitate 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 typically takes place when you land precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto accident or sustain another type of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: happens where the thigh bone and knee touch. The bone may shatter or can suffer a clean break. Distal femoral knee injuries frequently also injure the cartilage in the knee, which makes them hard 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
  • Swelling, bruising, and soreness
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• Proximal Tibia: often harm the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it connects to 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 occasionally minor breaks that occur from excessive activity, but most are the result of trauma from falling, sports injuries or car crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation surrounding the knee
  • Visually apparent 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 take place when the femur and tibia are forced out of alignment, or when the patella is pushed out of place. These are most often caused by extreme force 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 Otto, MO doctor will be able to correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be an important facet of the recuperation process to reduce swelling, slowly improve motion 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 quickly. The PCL can frequently 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 damage to other parts of the knee, ACL tears alone are not always painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is a blow that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is essential to receive the proper immediate and long-term care after sustaining a knee injury. The treatment you receive can be the difference between a swift and strong recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In regards to knee injuries that cause noticeable and severe trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be necessary and a Otto, 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 Otto, MO medical professional can evaluate 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 reveal 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 reveal knee injuries such as subtle fractures.
• Ultrasounds use sound waves to create 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 pictures 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 dealing with pain caused by a knee injury, contact Axes Physical Therapy to work with a Otto, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your movement, your mobility, and will also check how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Otto, MO County will recommend a individually tailored treatment plan, which may include an appointment with a Otto, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Minor knee injuries can often heal with 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 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 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 return functionality. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A Otto, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will help you safely restore movement and strength in 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 grounded in proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We lead you in your recuperation 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:

• 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
• Stroke Rehabilitation

Receive Physical Therapy for Knee Injuries

If you are living with knee pain or have recently suffered a knee injury, you need the expert advice of Otto, 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 find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.