Knee Injury in Cedar Hill, MO

Knee Injury in Cedar Hill, MO. Suffering a knee injury has the power to disrupt your everyday life, and often results in long-term harm. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Cedar Hill, MO. Knee injuries can happen in a variety of ways — often when you least expect it. However, the majority of knee injury victims experience damage due to advanced age, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while being physically active.

If you have any symptoms related to the knee — pain, buckling, stiffness, swelling or irritation — you could be suffering from a knee injury. For your swift and successful recovery, contact the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near Cedar Hill, MO. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will release you from pain and restore your mobility.

knee injury Cedar Hill, MO | Cedar Hill physical therapy for knee injury

What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest human joint and is critical to many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans and allow us to performing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This body part is composed of four distinct structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are a number of bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. The bones are held in place by groups of muscles, connected by tendons and ligaments, that work together to make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, ligaments act to create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the end of each bone is capped in a layer of cartilage — essentially a cushion that protects the hard bones from one another and absorbs the shock of movement and weight that introduce pressure to the joint.

All parts that make up the knee, whether soft tissue or bone, are essential to the knee’s ability to function as a strong and healthy joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can cause a knee injury. If you or a family member have recently experienced any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss your knee injury treatment options in Cedar Hill, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Cedar Hill, MO and the US

The human knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — an intricately designed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements that are unique to humans. But this complex joint is susceptible to a number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries make up only one type of knee injury individuals in Cedar Hill, MO and throughout the US can suffer. While young people more often get knee injuries from sports and other physical activities, older adults who sustain knee injuries most often do so in acute injuries involving falls and ramps or through chronic conditions like osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following 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 experience a knee injury
Men experience knee injuries far more often than women, making up 68% of all knee injury sufferers
Fifty percent of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Of all sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, each responsible for over a quarter of all knee injuries related to sports
After sports injuries, most common causes of knee injuries 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 Cedar Hill, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is affected. These injuries are caused by sudden force to the knee or a sudden or unintended motion of the knee (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 extent from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to something much more devastating like a comminuted fracture when the bone shatters into several fragments. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be broken during a knee injury, especially in events such as car accidents or forceful falls on hard surfaces.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Blows to the knee from different directions can lead to a number of different knee injuries involving ligaments surrounding the joint. Twisting, pivoting, and other sudden changes in direction can also result in a tear to the meniscus — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. If you have been diagnosed with or believe you have suffered an ACL injury learn more about our Cedar Hill, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears near you.
Arthritis. Many different types of arthritis exist and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you live with arthritis or a similar condition 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. Without the proper quality arthritis treatment for joint health, you face rapid and irreparable damage to your knee joint cartilage.
Tendonitis and 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 what is known as 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 Cedar Hill, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese introduces inordinate stress on your knees and most other joints in the body, even during ordinary activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. It is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, and adequately flexible muscles can help you enjoy full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put more strain 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 force your knees take when you run or jog all increase your risk of knee injury in Cedar Hill, MO. Occupations that require activities that put stress on the knees such as auto work or farming also can increase your risk.
History of previous injury. Having a previous knee injury makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Age. As we age, our tissues start to wear down. The knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can break down, and diseases like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Cedar Hill, MO?

As with any medical condition or injury, each case is unique and it is important that you speak with a licensed and practiced medical professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that 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, some times immediate medical care is warranted. Specifically, when you suffer 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. Rapid, extreme swelling that happens in the three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Cedar Hill, 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 Cedar Hill, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Cedar Hill, MO area, you will work with a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Cedar Hill, MO. With extensive clinical success 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 Cedar Hill, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you 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 Cedar Hill, MO for your first appointment after a suspected 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 practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, it is imperative that you take an active role in your physical therapy treatment of your knee injury.

In order to eliminate pain and other symptoms, heal the damaged tissue, and return you to optimal physical performance, your physical therapy treatment may involve a number of therapies to target your knee injury.

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

The physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Cedar Hill, MO area have a track record of effectively addressing the source of our patients’ pain, injuries, and movement disorders and returning them to the activities they value. Discover more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Cedar Hill, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Cedar Hill, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a knowledgeable healthcare professional right away. 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 Cedar Hill, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Cedar Hill, MO to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Cedar Hill, MO