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

Axes Physical Therapy provides bespoke, evidence-based analysis and treatment for people with knee injuries in Shrewsbury, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in custom tailored treatment plans created specifically for your injury, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Shrewsbury, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is devoted to serving the specific needs of each Shrewsbury, 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 on the side of the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that comprise the knee joint. Surrounding the knee are leg muscles, which drive 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 behave like shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Due to the intricacy of the joint and the stresses placed on the knee, with structures that can be torn, fractured, sprained, or dislocated, knee injuries are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries that are suffered. If you’ve experienced a knee injury or are living with chronic knee pain, you need the attention and careful treatment of Shrewsbury, MO area physical therapists. Our team of qualified therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will lead you in your recuperation and restore complete mobility of your injured knee.

Types of Knee Injuries and Common Causes

Knee sprains can be painful knee injuries that occur 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 commonly 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 blow to the front or outside of the knee. Furthermore, non contact knee sprains are very common and result from weakness, muscle fatigue or poor technique. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can often occur in tandem with sprains, and happen when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s usually 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 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 extend the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also referred to as “jumper’s knee,” is caused by inflammation of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is commonly the main symptom of this type of knee injury, and at first it may 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 unattended, after a while you could have trouble climbing stairs or even rising from a chair. For that reason, it’s essential to receive 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 felt when climbing stairs or rising from a chair. The exact cause is still unknown; however, most doctors and physical and occupational therapists suspect 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 extremely painful variety of knee injuries and necesitate emergency medical care. More destructive fractures can need surgery to repair the knee and return functionality. There are three common knee injuries related to fractures:

• Patellar: a fracture of the kneecap that frequently takes place when you fall exactly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a car crash or sustain another type of heavy blow to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it straight
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: occurs where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone can shatter or can suffer a clean break. Because distal femoral knee injuries can damage the cartilage in the knee, they can sometimes be more difficult to treat. They most often 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 aching
  • The leg may look shorter and contorted
• 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 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 auto accidents. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling surrounding the knee
  • Visually noticeable deformity or misalignment
  • Lack of feeling or warmth in the foot, as the flow of blood to the foot could be affected

Dislocation of the knee or kneecap can either occur when the femur and tibia are forced out of alignment, or when the patella is forced out of place. These are frequently caused by extreme force from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a somewhat unusual structure of the knee are at a heightened risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Shrewsbury, MO doctor will be able to put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be an important facet of the recuperation process to reduce swelling, slowly improve motion and increase 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-action sports where players are landing after jumping or changing direction quickly. The PCL can frequently be torn when there is trauma 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 often accompanied by damage to other parts of the knee, by themselves they are not always painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is a blow that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is vital to receive the proper immediate and long-term care after sustaining a knee injury. The care you receive can be the difference between a swift and strong 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 Shrewsbury, MO ER doctor will work to stabilize the knee as quickly as possible. Other means of diagnosis for knee injuries are:

• A physical examination. A Shrewsbury, MO medical professional can evaluate the appearance and movement of your knee while looking for inflammation or tenderness. Our physical therapists are specialists in human movement and carry out 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 different angles to build cross-sectional pictures of the inside of your knee. They can help reveal 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 frequently used to reveal soft tissue injuries, such as ACL tears or patellar tendonitis.

If you are experiencing pain caused by a knee injury, contact Axes Physical Therapy to work with a Shrewsbury, MO physical therapist who specializes in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your movement, your mobility, and will also check the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Shrewsbury, MO County will recommend a personalized treatment plan, which could include an appointment with a Shrewsbury, 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, it’s important to rest and to momentarily cease any activity you think may have resulted in 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, cannot move the knee, or cannot bear weight without pain. With some severe knee injuries, such as ACL tears or bone fractures, 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 Shrewsbury, MO physical therapist who specializes knee injuries will put you on the path to safely restore movement and strength to your knee as you recuperate. 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 designed from proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We lead 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 managing knee pain or have recently suffered a knee injury, you require the professional advice of Shrewsbury, 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, personalized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.