Knee injuries Owensville, MO. The knee is a multifaceted joint that allows our bodies to carry out a wide range of movements like sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Experiencing a knee injury makes walking and a lot of other daily tasks 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 Owensville, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we give safe and effective care to hundreds of patients in the Owensville, 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 those with knee injuries in Owensville, 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 Owensville, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is dedicated to serving the individual needs of each Owensville, 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 comprise the knee joint. Around the knee the knee are leg muscles, which help move the knee, and tendons and ligaments that join 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 provide stability in front of and behind the knee, and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL), which stabilize side-to-side movement. The medial and lateral menisci behave like shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Because of the complexity 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 typical musculoskeletal injuries that one can sustain. If you’ve suffered a knee injury or are experiencing chronic knee pain, you need the attention and careful treatment of Owensville, MO area physical therapists. Our team of expert therapists who are highly knowledgeable when treating knee injuries will lead you in your recovery and restore full 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 inadequately can cause chronic problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are often the result of 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 knock 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 mechanics. 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 happen when damage 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 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:

• Soreness 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 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 almost always the main symptom of this sort of knee injury, and initially it may only occur when training or exercising. It often stems from overuse. Over time, the pain becomes worse and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, eventually you could find it difficult to climb stairs or even get up from from a chair. For that reason, it’s essential 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 caused by tracking and alignment issues between the patella and femur and is often felt when climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The specific cause is not understood yet; however, most doctors and physical and occupational therapists think these knee injuries happen when the knee is overused, or there is weakness of the quadriceps muscle and inflexibility of other hip and knee musculature.

Fractures are an incredibly painful variety of knee injuries and need 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 land precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto accident or experience another kind of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, inflammation, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it straight
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: happens where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone might shatter or may suffer a clean break. Distal femoral knee injuries frequently also damage 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
  • Inflammation, 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 connects to the knee, is not as hard as the rest of the bone. These knee injuries often occur 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 too much activity, but most are the result of trauma from falling, sports injuries or motor vehicle crashes. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling around 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 take place when the femur and tibia are pushed 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 unusual structure of the knee are at a higher risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Owensville, MO doctor can correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be a vital part of the recuperation process to reduce swelling, slowly increase movement and improve strength in the hip and leg musculature.

ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL Injuries can be either tears or sprains. ACL injuries can often take place in high-action sports where players are landing after jumping or changing direction rapidly. 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 inflammation and knee instability. While ACL tears are often accompanied by injury to other parts of the knee, by themselves they are often not 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 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 severe trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be necessary and a Owensville, 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 Owensville, MO medical professional can evaluate the appearance and mobility of your knee while looking for inflammation or tenderness. Our physical therapists are specialists in human motion and conduct free, no obligation injury evaluations 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 create cross-sectional pictures of the inside of your knee. They can help detect knee injuries such as subtle fractures.
• Ultrasounds use sound waves to build 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 utilized 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 Owensville, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your motion, your mobility, and will also examine how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Owensville, MO County will recommend a bespoke treatment plan, which may include follow-up with a Owensville, 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 caused 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 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 Owensville, MO physical therapist who treats knee injuries will help you safely restore motion and strength in your knee as your injury heals. Typical 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 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:

• 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 experienced a knee injury, you require the professional advice of Owensville, 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, customized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.