Knee Injury in Beaufort, MO

Knee Injury in Beaufort, MO. A knee injury can wreak havoc on your day to day living, and often persists with long-term symptoms. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Beaufort, MO. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, the most common knee-related complaints are knee injuries related to aging, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.

Do you have knee pain, buckling, stiffness, swelling, or other symptoms related to the knee? 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 the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy in the Beaufort, MO area. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will lead you toward a stronger, healthier, pain-free you.

knee injury Beaufort, MO | Beaufort physical therapy for knee injury

What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest human joint and is pivotal to executing so many of the motions and actions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to carry out the complex tasks our busy lives require. The knee consists of four different structures, all of which can be injured or damaged. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are multiple bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These bones are held in place by groups of muscles, connected by tendons and ligaments, that allow us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, ligaments also provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the end of each bone is capped in a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones from one another and works as a shock absorber when movement or weight put pressure on the joint.

All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, both hard bone and soft tissue, are essential to the healthy functioning of the knee joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can result in a knee injury. If you or a family member recently experienced any kind of trauma in or around your knee or have developed a chronic condition that could lead to damage to any part of the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss how to care for and heal your knee injury in Beaufort, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Causes and Prevalence in Beaufort, MO and the US

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — an intricately designed joint that allows us to execute tasks and movements other animals cannot. But this complex joint is vulnerable to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one type of knee injury individuals in Beaufort, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. While athletic activity is the more likely culprit for knee injuries in young people, older adults who sustain knee injuries most often do so in acute injuries involving falls and ramps or through chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Consider these fast knee injury facts and statistics provided by 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 are more likely to have a knee injury than women, with 68% of knee injury patients categorized as male
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Among all sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, together accounting for over a quarter of all sports-related knee injuries
After sports injuries, most common causes of knee injuries are related to 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 lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Beaufort, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is affected. Injuries of this nature happen when the knee meets a sudden force or is suddenly forced in the wrong direction (for example, planting the foot and pivoting, twisting the knee in the wrong direction).
Fractures. A fracture describes a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in severity from a hairline fracture or crack in the bone to something much more devastating like a comminuted fracture when the bone shatters into multiple fragments. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be fractured in 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 frequently caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Twisting, pivoting, and other sudden changes in direction can also result in a tear to the meniscus (the cartilage between the bones in the knee) and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. If you have been diagnosed with or believe you have suffered an ACL injury get more information about our treatment and therapy services for Beaufort, MO 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 suffer from arthritis or a similar condition and have symptoms of a knee injury like pain and limited mobility, 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 irreversible degeneration 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 people who engage in frequent running, jumping, or cycling activities. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is jumper’s knee because of the strain to the tendon that occurs as a result of the repeated force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Beaufort, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity puts undue stress on your knee joints, even during ordinary activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis because it speeds up the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, and adequately flexible muscles can help you enjoy full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some sports put greater strain on your knees than do others. Downhill snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, basketball jumps and pivots, and the relentless force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all involve a risk of knee injury in Beaufort, MO. Jobs that require activities that put stress on the knees such as construction or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Being injured in the past makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Age. As our bodies age, the tissues in our body wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can degrade, and diseases like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in Beaufort, MO

As always, each patient is different and it is important that you speak with a licensed healthcare professional when a knee injury or any condition makes it difficult or impossible for you to function as normal or causes you serious pain. 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 patient is unique, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. After suffering an acute knee injury, the biggest warning sign that you need immediate knee injury treatment is swelling. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Quick, significant swelling that happens within three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is usually a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

Types of Treatments for Knee Injuries in Beaufort, MO

The right knee injury treatment for your condition depends on the nature of your injury, your overall medical condition, and many other factors that the trained eye of a clinically experienced, licensed Beaufort, MO physical therapist with Axes Physical Therapy will identify and examine. Often, a knee injury can be managed with conservative treatment and, with the right movement medicine and timely intervention, you will be back up and running (and walking, standing, jumping, and everything else you love to do) within weeks. However, each Beaufort, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in Beaufort, MO should reflect that.

When you need knee injury treatment, you may be looking at the following common treatment options.

Medications. Your doctor may prescribe medications to help relieve pain and to treat the conditions causing your knee pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications can also help manage symptoms as your knee injury heals.
Injections. Injections to the site of the knee injury, such as corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid, have, in some cases, been helpful in reducing pain and improving mobility.
Physical Therapy. Physical therapy focuses on movement health and correcting the problem at the source. For your knee injury, physical therapy may include treatments that strengthen and stabilize your knee and surrounding parts of the body, increase flexibility and range of motion, improve balance, and correct technique in physical activities.
Surgery. Surgery is reserved for severe knee injuries and patients who have not had success with less invasive treatment methods. For a knee injury, surgeries can range from partial knee replacement, total knee replacement, or surgeries removing aggravating tissue or bone. If your knee injury treatment team decides that surgery is your best option, other treatments such as physical therapy will be critical in the preparation of and recovery from the operation to help you return to strength and full use of your knee joint.

Knee Injury Physical Therapy in Beaufort, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Beaufort, MO area, you will work with a dedicated physical therapist who will work with you by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Beaufort, MO. With years of clinical experience restoring knee injury patients back to optimal movement health, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to help you successfully heal from your Beaufort, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you love so you can go about your regular life at home, at work, and in your personal time.

When you visit Axes near Beaufort, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will perform a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. From ensuring that your physical therapist is operating with a complete picture of your condition and overall health to consistently practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, it is imperative that you are an active participant 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 therapy treatment may involve a variety of methods to target your knee injury.

Therapeutic exercises and stretches
Gait and posture training
Heat and ice applications
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The movement health professionals at Axes Physical Therapy in the Beaufort, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they value. Learn more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Beaufort, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Beaufort, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury or are suffering from any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Talk to a experienced 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 Beaufort, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact our Beaufort, MO treatment professionals or find our facility that is most convenient for you to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Beaufort, MO