Knee injuries Valles Mines, MO. The knee is a multifaceted joint that allows our bodies to execute a wide range of motions 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 top-notch physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Valles Mines, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we give safe and effective treatment to hundreds of patients in the Valles Mines, 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 people with knee injuries in Valles Mines, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in custom tailored treatment plans created specifically for your condition, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Valles Mines, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is committed to serving the individual needs of each Valles Mines, 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 make up the knee joint. Surrounding 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 help stabilize the knee. 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 sideways movement. The medial and lateral menisci behave like shock absorbers between the tibia and femur.

Due to the complexity 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 experiencing chronic knee pain, you need the attention and careful treatment of Valles Mines, MO area physical therapists. Our team of qualified therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will lead you in your recovery and help you regain complete 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 untreated or treated improperly can lead to continued issues, including arthritis. Knee sprains are commonly 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 blow to the front or outside of the knee. Additionally, non contact knee sprains are very typical and result from weakness, muscle fatigue or improper 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 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 leaping and rotating/pivoting. In older adults, a cartilage tear in the knee can take place with little or no external force as the knee cartilage loses flexibility and pliability with age. Symptoms include:

• Soreness when training 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 swelling of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is almost always the main symptom of this category of knee injury, and initially it may only occur when training or exercising. It is also often an overuse injury. Over time, the pain increases and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, after a while you could find it difficult to climb stairs or even get up from from a chair. That’s why 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 caused by tracking and alignment issues between the patella and femur and is typically felt when climbing stairs or getting up from a chair. The specific cause is not understood yet; however, most doctors and physical and occupational therapists presume these knee injuries occur when the knee is overused, or there is weakness of the quadriceps muscle and inflexibility of other hip and knee musculature.

Fractures are an exceptionally painful type of knee injuries and necesitate emergency medical care. More complicated fractures can require 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 often occurs when you land exactly on your knee, hit the dashboard in a auto accident or suffer another kind of heavy blow to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, inflammation, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: takes place where the thigh bone and knee touch. The bone might shatter or can suffer a clean fracture. Distal femoral knee injuries frequently also injure the cartilage in the knee, which makes them hard to treat. They usually occur in the elderly as their bones weaken, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when placing weight on the knee
  • Swelling, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• Proximal Tibia: often 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 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 excessive activity, but most happen because of falling, sports injuries or motor vehicle crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation surrounding the knee
  • Visually clear 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 pushed out of alignment, or when the patella is forced out of place. These are usually 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 Valles Mines, MO doctor can put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be a vital facet of the recuperation process to reduce swelling, slowly increase 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-action sports where players are landing after jumping or changing direction quickly. 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 inflammation and lack of stability. 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 a blow that pushes the knee sideways.

Diagnoses and Tests

It is important to receive appropriate immediate and long-term treatment after experiencing 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 the event of knee injuries that cause clear and major trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be required and a Valles Mines, MO ER doctor will endeavor to stabilize the knee as quickly as possible. Other methods of diagnosis for knee injuries are:

• A physical examination. A Valles Mines, MO medical professional can analyze the appearance and movement of your knee while checking for swelling or tenderness. Our physical therapists are professionals 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 create cross-sectional images 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 into different positions to look for specific issues.
• MRIs create 3D pictures of the inside of your knee. This test is often implemented to show 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 Valles Mines, MO physical therapist who is an expert in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will analyze your motion, your mobility, and will also monitor the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Valles Mines, MO County will recommend a bespoke treatment plan, which might include an appointment with a Valles Mines, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Less significant knee injuries can often heal with the RICE Method: rest, ice, gentle compression, and elevation. If you are experiencing pain, you need to rest and to temporarily stop any activity you think may have resulted in 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 cannot bear weight without pain. With some severe knee injuries, such as ACL tears or bone fractures, surgery is needed 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 Valles Mines, MO physical therapist who treats knee injuries will help you safely restore motion and strength in your knee as you recover. 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 founded on 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 dealing with knee pain or have recently experienced a knee injury, you require the specialized advice of Valles Mines, MO physical therapists to eliminate your pain and return you to full mobility. 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 discover the knee injury treatment location nearest you.