Knee Injury in Clearwater, MO

Knee Injury in Clearwater, MO. Suffering a knee injury has the power to disrupt your day to day living, and often persists with long-term symptoms. There is nobody in Clearwater, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, knee injuries are most commonly caused by aging, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.

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 near Clearwater, MO. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will design a treatment plan to maximize your recovery and restore you to optimal movement.

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What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest joint in the human body and is integral to executing so many of the motions and actions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to performing the complicated 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.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. These bones are held in place by muscle groups, connected by tendons and ligaments, that allow us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, the ligaments also create stability and limit 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 healthy functioning of the knee joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member recently experienced any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or suffer from a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss how to care for and heal your knee injury in Clearwater, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Clearwater, MO and the US

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human body — an intricately designed joint that allows us to move and act in ways other animals cannot. However, along with the intricate design comes an inherent susceptibility 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 that people in Clearwater, 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.

Check out these fast knee injury facts and statistics provided by Society for Academic Emergency Medicine:

Teens 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
Fifty percent of all knee injuries are caused by sports-related injuries
Among 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
Other top knee injury causes are related to home structures (30.2%), and home furnishings (13.6%)
By far the most common type of knee injury is a strain or sprain, making up 42.1% of all knee injury cases; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Clearwater, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. A sprain or strain knee injury involves a muscle or ligament within the joint structure of the knee. These injuries 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 is another word for a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in severity from a stress fracture or crack in the bone to something much more devastating such as a comminuted fracture when a bone is crushed into multiple 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 traumatic events.
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 cause a tear to the meniscus (the cartilage between the bones in the knee) and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can learn more about our treatment and therapy services for Clearwater, MO ACL tears in your area.
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 and limited mobility, you may have an arthritis-induced knee injury. You may even be at risk of developing bone spurs. Without the proper quality arthritis treatment for joint health, you face rapid and irreparable damage to your knee joint cartilage. The right care that targets the underlying cause of your pain can prevent further damage
Tendonitis and Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in individuals who engage in frequent running, jumping, or cycling activities. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Clearwater, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity introduces inordinate stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during ordinary activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or 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 make it possible to achieve full range of motion.
Certain 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 involve a risk of knee injury in Clearwater, MO. Jobs that involve activities that put stress on the knees like construction or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
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 wear thin, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

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

As with any medical condition or injury, each patient is unique and you should always consult with a licensed healthcare professional when a knee injury or any condition affects your ability to function normally or live comfortably. After all, if there was a treatment solution that could treat your chronic pain and restore your mobility in a joint as important as the knee, wouldn’t you try it?

While your experience as a knee injury sufferer is unique, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. Specifically, when you suffer 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. Immediate, extensive swelling that occurs 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 Clearwater, 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 Clearwater, 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 Clearwater, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in Clearwater, 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.

Getting Physical Therapy for your Knee Injury in Clearwater, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Clearwater, MO area, you will be assigned one dedicated physical therapist who will work with you for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Clearwater, 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 help you successfully heal from your Clearwater, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you love and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near Clearwater, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct an evaluation of your overall condition, health history, and an injury screening. 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, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. 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 number of therapies to target the source of your knee injury.

Therapeutic exercises and stretches
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 experts in movement health and the musculoskeletal system at Axes Physical Therapy in the Clearwater, 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. Find out more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near Clearwater, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Clearwater, 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. Talk to a knowledgeable medical professional as soon as possible. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Clearwater, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the Clearwater, MO area to begin your healing journey and obtain relief from your knee injury.