Knee Injury in Antonia, MO

Knee Injury in Antonia, MO. A knee injury has the power to disrupt your daily life, and often results in long-term harm. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Antonia, MO. A knee injury can happen in a variety of ways — often when you least expect it. However, the most common knee-related complaints are knee injuries related to aging, exposure to repetitive motions, and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.

Are you experiencing knee-related symptoms like pain, swelling, or buckling? You may have a knee injury, whether or not you can identify a specific moment of trauma that could explain the injury. Increase your chances of a full, successful recovery by trusting Axes Physical Therapy in the Antonia, MO area. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will guide you in a recovery plan that leaves you stronger and healthier than ever before.

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What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest human joint, and one that is pivotal to executing so many of the motions and actions that distinguish us from other animals and allow us to performing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. The knee is made up of four different structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are multiple bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These bones are held together by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that work together to make it possible for us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, the ligaments also create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the ends of the bones are capped in a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones where they meet and works as a shock absorber when movement or weight put pressure on the joint.

All parts that make up the knee, both hard bone and soft tissue, are essential to the healthy functioning of the knee joint, and any kind of damage to the bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments within the joint can lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member have recently suffered an acute trauma in or around your knee or suffer from a chronic condition that could cause damage to any part of the knee, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to learn about how to care for and heal your knee injury in Antonia, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Antonia, MO and the US

The human knee is a complex part of the human body — an intricately constructed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements other animals cannot. But this complex joint is vulnerable to a number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries make up only one type of knee injury individuals in Antonia, MO and throughout the US can suffer. While athletic activity is the more popular cause of knee injuries in young people, older adults more often get knee injuries after falling or due to the development of a chronic condition like osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following facts and statistics from Society for Academic Emergency Medicine:

Adolescents and young adults (patients ranging in age from 15 years old to their late 20’s) are the most likely to suffer a knee injury
Men experience knee injuries far more often than women, with 68% of knee injury patients categorized as male
Half of all knee injuries are caused by sports-related injuries
Of all sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, each responsible for more than a quarter of all sports-related knee injuries
After sports injuries, top knee injury causes are home structures (30.2%), and home furnishings (13.6%)
The overwhelmingly most common knee injury diagnoses are strains and sprains at 42.1%, followed by contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Antonia, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. A sprain or strain knee injury involves a muscle or ligament within the joint structure of the knee. Injuries of this nature happen when the knee meets a sudden force or is suddenly forced in the wrong direction (for example, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
Fractures. A fracture describes a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in severity from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to a much more brutal break such as a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into several fragments. Even the kneecap bone, called the patella, can be fractured during a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other catastrophic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Injury to the ligaments and cartilage in and around the knee are often caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions can also result in a meniscus tear — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can learn more about our Antonia, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you live with a chronic condition like arthritis and experience knee injury symptoms like pain or stiffness, your arthritis may be causing a knee injury and can even lead to the potential development of bone spurs. Arthritis can result in rapid and irreparable damage of the cartilage and in your knee joint. The right care that targets the underlying cause of your pain can prevent further damage
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is commonly found in patients who engage in frequent activities like running, jumping, and cycling. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Antonia, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity puts undue stress on your knees and most other joints in the body, even during ordinary activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis because it speeds up the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can increase the risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, while muscle flexibility can help you utilize a full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put greater stress on your knees than do others. Alpine snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and potential for falls, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the relentless pounding your knees take when you run or jog all increase your risk of knee injury in Antonia, MO. Jobs that involve activities that put stress on the knees like maintenance or farming also can increase your risk.
History of previous injury. Being injured in the past makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Advanced age. As we age, the tissues in our body wear down. The knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can degrade, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Antonia, MO?

As with any medical condition or injury, each patient is different and it is important that you consult with a licensed and practiced healthcare professional when a knee injury or any condition affects your ability to function normally or live comfortably. After all, who wants to go through life with chronic pain or any sort of physical limitation, especially in a part of the body as critical to movement and daily life as the knee?

While your experience as a knee injury sufferer is unique, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. After suffering an acute knee injury, noticeable swelling is a warning sign that you need emergency medical attention. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Immediate, extreme swelling that occurs within three to four hours after an instance of acute trauma to the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Antonia, MO

When in doubt, err on the side of caution and seek out medical care right away after you notice a potential knee injury. Especially in the case of an acute or sudden injury, the commonly known RICE method can help mitigate the damage and support your knee injury recovery with a swift response to the trauma.

The RICE method refers to:

Rest. If you experience pain or suspect a knee injury, do not force any activity or introduce any additional undue stress to the joint. If possible, avoid putting weight on the affected knee and minimize movement.
Ice. The application of ice or a cold compress after an injury like a knee injury can help temporarily ease the pain and reduce swelling. When using ice on an injury, do not apply the ice directly on bare skin and remember to follow an alternating schedule of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
Compression. It may be helpful to wrap the injured knee with a soft, elastic bandage or ace wrap. Take care not to wrap the area so tight that it causes pain or cuts off blood and oxygen circulation to the injured area.
Elevate. During the initial resting time after the occurrence of your knee injury, you can use pillows, a stool, or another prop or structure to help keep your injured knee elevated higher than your heart. This elevation can stimulate reparative blood flow to the injury, reduce pressure and throbbing, and encourage the removal of waste from the area.

Knee Injury Physical Therapy in Antonia, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Antonia, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will work with you for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Antonia, MO. With years of clinical experience restoring knee injury patients back to full movement health, your physical therapist will put their advanced education and the latest empirical data on the most up-to-date treatment practices to use to treat the cause of your Antonia, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you value and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first Antonia, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. From providing a full and accurate picture of your overall health to consistently engaging in the prescribed exercises, it is imperative that you take an active role in your knee injury physical therapy treatment.

Your physical therapist will devise a custom treatment plan to eliminate pain and other symptoms, repair tissue damage, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapist may employ a number of therapies to target the source of your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
Training to correct posture, gait, or other movement technique
Heat and ice applications
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Antonia, MO area have successfully treated hundreds of patients with pain, injuries, and chronic conditions and have restored their ability to do the activities they care about. Find out more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide in the Antonia, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Antonia, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury while being active or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a trustworthy medical professional as soon as possible. As licensed physical and occupational therapists with decades of clinical experience restoring the mobility of our patients, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Antonia, MO will guide you in your recovery by creating a personalized treatment plan based on the latest proven practices in movement health. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the Antonia, MO area to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Antonia, MO