Knee injuries Woodhine Heights, MO. The knee is a versatile joint that permits our bodies to carry out a wide array of movements such as sitting, standing, lifting, walking, running, jumping and more. Suffering 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 impacted by chronic knee pain, it is important to find top-notch physical therapy with licensed physical therapists in the Woodhine Heights, MO area. At Axes Physical Therapy, we offer safe and effective care to hundreds of Woodhine Heights, MO residents. 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 Woodhine Heights, MO. Our knee injury experts specialize in customized treatment plans implemented specifically for your injury, needs and movement goals. As a network of physical therapy facilities locally owned and operated by Woodhine Heights, MO physical therapists, Axes Physical Therapy is devoted to serving the specific needs of each Woodhine Heights, MO patient we see.

The Human Knee

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints we have. It attaches 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 constitute the knee joint. Encircling the knee are leg muscles, which drive the knee’s movements, 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.

Due to the intricacy 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 are suffered. If you’ve suffered a knee injury or are dealing with chronic knee pain, you need the attention and careful treatment of Woodhine Heights, MO area physical therapists. Our team of professional therapists who specialize in treating knee injuries will guide you in your recuperation 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 left unattended or treated improperly can cause chronic problems, including arthritis. Knee sprains are commonly 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 poor technique. Symptoms include:

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

Torn cartilage can often take place take place at the same time as sprains, and happen when trauma to the knee tears the menisci. It’s typically the result of 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 repeated leaping and rotating/pivoting. In older adults, a cartilage tear in the knee can occur 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 extend the knee

Patellar Tendonitis, also called “jumper’s knee,” is a result of inflammation of the tendons in the knee, specifically the quadriceps tendon. Anterior knee pain is typically the main symptom of this variety of knee injury, and initially it may only occur when working out or exercising. It frequently stems from overuse. Over time, the pain worsens and starts to make exercising or playing sports more difficult. If untreated, after a while you could have trouble climbing stairs or even getting up from a chair. That’s why it’s important 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 a result of 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 physicians and physical and occupational therapists think these knee injuries occur 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 need urgent medical attention. More complicated 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 often occurs when you fall precisely on your knee, hit the dashboard in a car crash or experience another type of extreme external force to the knee. Symptoms include:
  • Pain, swelling, and bruising
  • Inability to straighten the knee or keep it keep it
  • Inability to walk
• Distal Femur: happens where the thigh bone and knee meet. The bone might shatter or might break straight across. Distal femoral knee injuries frequently also damage the cartilage in the knee, which makes them difficult to treat. They usually occur in the elderly whose bones have become weaker, or to people in high energy impact collisions. Symptoms include:
  • Pain when putting weight on the knee
  • Swelling, bruising, and tenderness
  • The leg may look shorter and crooked
• Proximal Tibia: often injure the soft tissue of the knee as well. The top of the tibia, where it connects to the knee, is softer than 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 car crashes. Symptoms include:
  • inflammation around 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 take place when the femur and tibia are pushed out of alignment, or when the patella is pushed out of place. These are frequently caused by extreme force from sports, car accidents or falls. People with a slightly atypical structure of the knee are at a greater risk of patellar dislocation knee injuries. While a Woodhine Heights, MO doctor can put the knee or kneecap back in place, treatment by a physical therapist will be a vital facet of the rehabilitation process to reduce swelling, gradually increase movement 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 occur in high-energy sports where players are landing after jumping or switching 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 swelling and knee instability. While ACL tears are frequently 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 essential to receive the proper immediate and long-term treatment after sustaining 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 regards to knee injuries that cause noticeable and major trauma, such as a dislocated patella, tests may not be required and a Woodhine Heights, 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 Woodhine Heights, 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 motion and carry out free, no obligation injury screenings for your knee injuries and other injuries.
• X-Rays can detect broken bones and degenerative joint disease.
• CT scans combine X-rays from various 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 create 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 utilized 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 Woodhine Heights, MO physical therapist who specializes in knee injuries. Your knee injury therapist will evaluate your movement, your mobility, and will also study the strength of your knee and its stability. After diagnosis, your Axes physical therapist in Woodhine Heights, MO County will recommend a customized treatment plan, which might include follow-up with a Woodhine Heights, MO orthopedic or sports physician.

Treatments and Therapy

Slight 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 temporarily cease any activity you think may have caused 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 cannot 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 make the knee functional again. Physical therapy will then be part of your preoperative and postoperative treatment plan. A Woodhine Heights, MO physical therapist who treats knee injuries will help you safely restore movement and strength to 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 lead you in your recuperation to safely get you back 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 need the expert advice of Woodhine Heights, 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 devoted, customized care of your Axes physical therapist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment or find out the knee injury treatment location nearest you.