Knee Injury in Dellwood, MO

Knee Injury in Dellwood, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your day to day living, and often results in long-term harm. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Dellwood, MO. Knee injuries can happen in any number of situations — often when you least expect it. However, the majority of knee injury victims experience damage due to aging, exposure to repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while engaging in physical activity.

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 Dellwood, MO. 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 Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest human joint and is critical to many of the motions and actions that are unique to humans, making it possible for us to carry out the complicated tasks we use every day to go about our lives. The knee is composed of four distinct structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee is made up of 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 held in place by muscle groups, connected by tendons and ligaments, that allow us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, ligaments act to provide stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped by a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones where they meet and absorbs the shock of movement and weight that introduce pressure to the joint.

All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, whether soft tissue or bone, are critical to the healthy functioning of the knee joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can cause a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or suffer from a chronic condition that could cause damage to any part of the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to learn about how to care for and heal your knee injury in Dellwood, MO today or schedule an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Dellwood, MO and the US

The human knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — a beautifully constructed joint that makes it possible for us to move and act in ways that are unique to humans. 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. But sports injuries are just one category of knee injury that people in Dellwood, MO and throughout the US can suffer. Though athletic activity is the more popular culprit for knee injuries in young people, 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 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 experience 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 occur in sports accidents
Among sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, each responsible for in excess of a quarter of all sports knee injuries
Other top 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%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Dellwood, MO

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, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
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 a much more brutal break like a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into multiple fragments. Even the kneecap bone, called the patella, can be fractured 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. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions can also cause a meniscus tear (the cartilage between the bones in the knee) and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can get more information about our Dellwood, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. Many different types of arthritis exist and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you suffer from 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 regularly perform activities like running, jumping, and cycling. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is what is known as 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 Dellwood, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese introduces inordinate stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during what are generally considered light activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. It is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or flexibility can increase the risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, while adequately flexible muscles make it possible to enjoy full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put more strain on your knees than do others. Alpine skiing with its rigid ski boots and potential for falls, basketball jumps and pivots, and the relentless pounding of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all involve a risk of knee injury in Dellwood, MO. Occupations 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 puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Advanced 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 Dellwood, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As always, each case is unique and it is important that you consult with a licensed medical 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, 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 each injury and patient is different, in some cases emergency medical attention should be sought. 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 indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Rapid, significant 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.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Dellwood, 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.

Getting Physical Therapy for your Knee Injury in Dellwood, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Dellwood, MO area, you will work with one dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Dellwood, MO. With years of clinical experience guiding knee injury patients back to full movement health, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to treat the cause of your Dellwood, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you care about and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near Dellwood, 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 critical 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 methods 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 physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Dellwood, 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 the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Dellwood, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Dellwood, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury while being active or are suffering from any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a experienced medical 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 Dellwood, 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 Dellwood, MO area to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Dellwood, MO