Knee Injury in Clover Bottom, MO

Knee Injury in Clover Bottom, MO. Suffering a knee injury has the power to disrupt your everyday life, and often results in long-term harm. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in Clover Bottom, MO. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, knee injuries are most commonly caused by aging, exposure to repetitive motions, 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. Increase your chances of a full, successful recovery by trusting the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near Clover Bottom, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will lead you toward a stronger, healthier, pain-free you.

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What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body and is critical to executing so many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans, making it possible for us to performing the complicated tasks our busy lives require. This body part consists of four types of structures, all of which are susceptible 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 three bones are attached by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that allow us to move our legs. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, ligaments also provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the end of each bone is capped by 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 the different components of the knee’s anatomy, whether soft tissue or bone, are critical to the knee’s ability to function as a strong and healthy 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 have developed a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee structure, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to learn about how to care for and heal your knee injury in Clover Bottom, MO today or request an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Clover Bottom, 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 move and act in ways other animals cannot. However, the intricate joint design brings with it an inherent susceptibility to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, contributing to 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries make up only one category of knee injury individuals in Clover Bottom, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. While young people more often get knee injuries from sports and other physical activities, older adults more often get knee injuries after falling or due to the development of a chronic condition 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 experience knee injuries far more often than women, with 68% of knee injury patients categorized as male
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries take place during physical activity
Among sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, each responsible for over a quarter of all knee injuries related to sports
Other top 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%; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Clover Bottom, MO

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 is a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in severity from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to something much more devastating like a comminuted fracture when the bone is crushed into several fragments. Even the kneecap bone, called the patella, can be fractured in a knee injury, especially in events such as car accidents or forceful falls on hard surfaces.
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 cause 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 learn more about our treatment and therapy services for Clover Bottom, MO ACL tears near you.
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 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.
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in patients who regularly perform 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 severe force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Clover Bottom, MO

Excessive weight. Being overweight or obese 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. It also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis because it speeds up the breakdown of joint cartilage.
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, and adequately flexible muscles can help you safely achieve full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some sports put greater stress on your knees than do others. Downhill snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and potential for falls, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated pounding of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all involve a risk of knee injury in Clover Bottom, MO. Jobs that require activities that put stress on the knees such as construction or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
History of previous injury. Being injured in the past makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Age. As we age, the tissues in our body wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can degrade, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in Clover Bottom, MO

As with any medical condition or injury, each patient is unique and you should always speak with a licensed and practiced healthcare 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 patient is unique, some times immediate medical care is warranted. 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. Rapid, extreme 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 Clover Bottom, 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 Clover Bottom, 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 Clover Bottom, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in Clover Bottom, 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 Clover Bottom, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Clover Bottom, MO area, you will work with one dedicated physical therapist who will work with you by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Clover Bottom, MO. With years of clinical experience restoring knee injury patients back to optimal 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 Clover Bottom, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you value and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first Clover Bottom, 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 practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, it is critical that you take an active role in your knee injury physical therapy treatment.

In order to eliminate pain and other symptoms, heal the damaged tissue, and return you to optimal physical performance, your physical therapist may employ a variety of methods to target your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
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 Clover Bottom, MO area have successfully treated hundreds of patients with pain, injuries, and chronic conditions and have restored their ability to do the activities they value. Discover more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients in the Clover Bottom, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Clover Bottom, 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 medical professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Clover Bottom, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact our Clover Bottom, 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 Clover Bottom, MO