Knee Injury in Gilmore, MO

Knee Injury in Gilmore, MO. A knee injury has the power to disrupt your daily life, and often persists with long-term symptoms. There is nobody in Gilmore, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. A knee injury 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, exposure to repetitive motions, and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while being physically active.

Are you experiencing knee-related symptoms like pain, swelling, or buckling? 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 near Gilmore, 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 Are Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body and is integral to many of the motions and actions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complex tasks our busy lives require. This joint is composed of four distinct structures, any of which are susceptible to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are multiple bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These bones are held in place by groups of muscles, which are connected together 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, the ligaments also provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the end of each bone is capped in a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones from one another 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 essential 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 experienced any kind of trauma in or around your knee or suffer from a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee structure, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to discuss how to care for and heal your knee injury in Gilmore, MO today or request an appointment online now.

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

The knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — an impeccably constructed joint that allows us to execute tasks and movements that are unique to humans. However, along with the intricate design comes an inherent susceptibility to a number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, contributing to 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one type of knee injury individuals in Gilmore, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. Though 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 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 suffer a knee injury
68% of knee injury victims are male
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries take place during physical activity
Of all 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
After sports injuries, 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%, followed by contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Gilmore, MO Knee Injuries

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 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 is 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 is crushed into several 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 traumatic 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 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 get more information about our Gilmore, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears in your area.
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 irreparable 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 people who regularly perform activities like running, jumping, and cycling. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is 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 Gilmore, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity introduces inordinate stress on your knees and most other joints in the body, even during what are generally considered light activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis because of the premature breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can increase the risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, and muscle flexibility can help you safely enjoy full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put greater stress on your knees than do others. Downhill skiing with its rigid ski 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 Gilmore, MO. Jobs that require repetitive stress on the knees like installation or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Advanced age. As we age, our tissues start to 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 Gilmore, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As always, each case is unique and you should always consult with a licensed healthcare professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that 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 your experience as a knee injury sufferer is unique, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. 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 indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Quick, 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.

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

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Gilmore, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will work with you for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Gilmore, 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 help you successfully heal from your Gilmore, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you care about so you can go about your regular life at home, at work, and in your personal time.

When you visit Axes near Gilmore, 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 providing a full and accurate picture of your overall health to consistently engaging in the prescribed exercises, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. It is critical 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 therapy treatment may involve a variety of methods 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 Gilmore, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they care about. Learn more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near Gilmore, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Gilmore, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury 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 healthcare professional as soon as possible. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Gilmore, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Gilmore, MO to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.