Knee Injury in Festus, MO

Knee Injury in Festus, MO. A knee injury has the power to disrupt your daily life, and often results in long-term harm. There is nobody in Festus, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. A knee injury 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, 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 for help with your knee injury near Festus, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will release you from pain and restore your mobility.

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What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body, and one that 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 is composed of four different structures, all of which can be injured or damaged. 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 held in place 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 act to provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped by a layer of cartilage — essentially a cushion that protects 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 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 suffered any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or suffer from a chronic condition that could lead to damage to any part of the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss the best choice for the treatment of a knee injury in Festus, MO today or request an appointment online now.

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

The human knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — an impeccably designed joint that allows us to execute tasks and movements 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, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one category of knee injury that people in Festus, MO and throughout the US can suffer. While physical activity is the more popular 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.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following 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 experience knee injuries far more often than women, making up 68% of all knee injury sufferers
Fifty percent of all knee injuries are caused by sports-related injuries
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 knee injuries
Other top causes of knee injuries are home structures at 30.2% and home furnishings at 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, followed by contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Festus, 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, which can be anything from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to a much more brutal break such as a comminuted fracture when a bone is crushed into multiple fragments. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be fractured during 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 often caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions can also result in a meniscus tear (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 Festus, MO ACL tears near you.
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, 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. 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 individuals who regularly perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the severe force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Festus, MO

Excessive weight. Heaviness or obesity increases 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 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 increase the risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, and adequately flexible muscles make it possible to utilize a full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some sports put greater strain on your knees than do others. Downhill skiing with its rigid ski boots and potential for falls, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated force your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in Festus, MO. Jobs that involve repetitive 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.
Old age. As our bodies age, our tissues start to wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can degrade, and diseases like osteoporosis leave your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

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

As always, each patient is unique and it is important that you speak with a licensed and practiced 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 each injury and patient is different, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. After suffering 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 is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Rapid, significant 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.

Types of Treatments for Knee Injuries in Festus, 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 Festus, 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 Festus, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in Festus, 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 Festus, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Festus, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Festus, MO. With extensive clinical success guiding 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 treat the cause of your Festus, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you love and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near Festus, 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 engaging in the prescribed exercises, it is imperative that you are an active participant in your physical therapy treatment of your knee injury.

Your physical therapist will devise a custom treatment plan to eliminate pain and other symptoms, repair damaged tissue, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapist may employ a number of methods to target the source of your knee injury.

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

The physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Festus, MO area have successfully treated hundreds of patients with pain, injuries, and chronic conditions and have restored their ability to do the activities they love. Learn more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near Festus, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Festus, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury while being active 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 trustworthy 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 Festus, MO will guide you in your recovery by creating a personalized treatment plan based on the latest proven practices in movement health. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Festus, MO to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.