Knee injuries Robertsville, MO. The knee is a multifaceted joint that allows our bodies to carry out a wide scope of functional activities like sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Experiencing a knee injury makes walking and a lot of other daily activities painful or even impossible. If you’ve recently sustained a knee injury or are affected by chronic knee pain, it is vital to find quality physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Robertsville, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we provide safe and effective care to hundreds of patients in the Robertsville, MO area. 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 Robertsville, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in custom tailored treatment plans implemented specifically for your injury, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Robertsville, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is committed to serving the individual needs of each Robertsville, MO patient we see.

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the biggest and most complex joints we have. 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 make up the knee joint. Encircling 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 offer support and stability. These ligaments include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which give 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 behave like shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Because of the intricacy of the joint and the pressure placed on the knee, with structures that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most typical musculoskeletal injuries that are suffered. If you’ve suffered a knee injury or are experiencing chronic knee pain, you need the care and careful treatment of Robertsville, MO area physical therapists. Our team of professional therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will lead you in your recovery and help you regain full mobility of your injured knee.

Types of Knee Injuries and Common Causes

Knee sprains can be painful knee injuries that take place when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if left unattended or cared for incorrectly can cause chronic problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are often caused by acute twisting injuries, or injuries the result of 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 typical and occur because of weakness, muscle fatigue or poor 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 occur when damage to the knee tears the menisci. It’s most frequently caused by 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 continued leaping and rotating/pivoting. In older adults, a cartilage tear in the knee can happen with little or no trauma as the knee cartilage loses flexibility and pliability with age. Symptoms include:

• Dull pain when training 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 caused by swelling of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is typically the main symptom of this kind of knee injury, and at the start it may 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, eventually you could have difficulty climbing stairs or even getting up from a chair. That’s why it’s vital 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 caused by tracking and alignment problems between the patella and femur and is commonly felt when climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The exact cause is not understood yet; however, most physicians and physical and occupational therapists suspect these knee injuries happen because of general overuse and weakness of the quadriceps muscle and inflexibility of other hip and knee musculature.

Fractures are an especially painful variety of knee injuries and require urgent medical treatment. More complex fractures can necesitate surgery to repair the knee and allow it to function normally again. There are three common knee injuries associated with fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that frequently happens when you land precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a motor vehicle accident or sustain another type of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, inflammation, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: occurs where the thigh bone and knee touch. The bone can shatter or can suffer a clean break. Distal femoral knee injuries frequently also damage the cartilage in the knee, which makes them difficult to treat. They usually 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
  • Inflammation, bruising, and aching
  • The leg may look shorter and contorted
• Proximal Tibia: frequently damage 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 take place 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 happen because of falling, sports injuries or auto accidents. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling surrounding the knee
  • Visually evident deformity or misalignment
  • Lack of feeling or warmth in the foot, 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 forced out of place. These are frequently 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 Robertsville, MO doctor can correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be a vital part of the rehabilitation process to reduce swelling, gradually 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 rapidly. 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 knee instability. While ACL tears are often accompanied by damage to other parts of the knee, ACL tears alone are not always painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is blunt force that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is important to receive the correct immediate 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 clear and severe trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be necessary and a Robertsville, 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 Robertsville, MO medical professional can evaluate the appearance and movement of your knee while checking for inflammation or tenderness. Our physical therapists are specialists in human movement and offer free, no obligation injury evaluations for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can detect broken bones and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from different angles to build 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 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 detect 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 Robertsville, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your movement, your mobility, and will also monitor how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Robertsville, MO County will recommend a personalized treatment plan, which could include follow-up with a Robertsville, 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 momentarily cease any activity you think may have led to 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 severe 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 Robertsville, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will help you safely restore movement and strength in your knee as you recuperate. Typical therapies for knee injuries are (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 grounded in proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We guide 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 living with knee pain or have recently sustained a knee injury, you need the expert advice of Robertsville, 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 committed, customized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.