Knee injuries Union, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that lets our bodies execute a wide range of functional activities 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 had a knee injury or are impacted by chronic knee pain, it is important to find first-rate physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Union, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we provide safe and effective therapy to hundreds of patients in the Union, MO area. Contact us today to find out more or schedule your first appointment.

Axes Physical Therapy provides customized, evidence-based evaluation and therapy for those with knee injuries in Union, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in personalized treatment plans created specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. Axes Physical Therapy is a network of physical therapy experts at various locations, each owned and operated by physical therapists. We are committed to serving the individual needs of each Union, MO patient we see.

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the largest 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 adjacent to the tibia) and patella (kneecap) are the other bones that constitute the knee joint. Encircling the knee are leg muscles, which are responsible for 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 give 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 behave like shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Because of the intricacy of the joint and the forces placed on the knee, with bones, tendons, and ligaments 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 Union, MO area physical therapists. Our team of professional therapists who specialize in 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 are knee injuries that can cause a lot of pain, and they occur when ligaments in the knee are torn or overstretched. Knee sprains are painful, and if untreated or cared for poorly can result in chronic problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are typically caused by acute twisting injuries, or occur when an outside 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 typical and occur because of weakness, muscle fatigue or incorrect technique. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can often occur take place at the same time as sprains, and take place when damage to the knee tears the menisci. It’s typically the result of forcefully twisting or rotating your knee and is common 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 take place 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 flex or straighten 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 might only occur when working out or exercising. It is also frequently an overuse injury. Over time, the pain increases and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, eventually you could have trouble climbing stairs or even rising from a chair. That’s why it’s vital 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 felt when climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. The exact cause is not understood yet; however, most doctors 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 extremely painful type of knee injuries and need urgent medical treatment. More complex 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 often occurs when you land precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a motor vehicle accident or experience another type 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: takes place where the thigh bone and knee touch. The bone can shatter or can suffer a clean fracture. Because distal femoral knee injuries can hurt the cartilage in the knee, they can sometimes be harder 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
  • Inflammation, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and bent
• Proximal Tibia: frequently harm 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 frequently happen 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 accidents. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling around the knee
  • Visually clear 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 occur 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 energy trauma from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a slightly unusual structure of the knee are at a heightened risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Union, MO doctor can correct the dislocation, treatment by a physical therapist will be an important facet of the rehabilitation process to reduce swelling, slowly improve 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 happen in high-energy sports where players are landing after jumping or switching direction rapidly. 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 knee instability. While ACL tears are frequently accompanied by harm to other parts of the knee, ACL tears alone are often not painful. MCL and LCL tears occur when there is a blow that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is important to receive the correct immediate and long-term care after experiencing a knee injury. The treatment you receive can account for either quick and effective recovery or a lifetime of chronic, debilitating pain. In the event of knee injuries that cause noticeable and severe trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be required and a Union, 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 Union, 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 provide 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 make cross-sectional images 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 rotate and extend your knee into different positions to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D pictures of the inside of your knee. This test is often implemented 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 Union, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your motion, your mobility, and will also study how strong and stable your knee is. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Union, MO County will recommend a bespoke treatment plan, which might include follow-up with a Union, 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 stop any activity you think may have led to 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, cannot move the knee, or cannot bear weight without pain. With some grave knee injuries, such as ACL tears or bone fractures, surgery is necessary to correct the structure of the knee and make the knee functional again. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A Union, MO physical therapist who treats knee injuries will help you safely restore movement and strength in your knee as your injury heals. Common 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 based on proven treatment strategies and are tailored specifically for each patient. We guide you in your recovery 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 experiencing knee pain or have recently suffered a knee injury, you require the specialized advice of Union, 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, individualized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.