Knee Injury in Gray Summit, MO

Knee Injury in Gray Summit, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your daily life, and often results in long-term harm. There is nobody in Gray Summit, 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 most common knee-related complaints are knee injuries related to advanced age, 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 near Gray Summit, MO. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will release you from pain and restore your mobility.

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What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest human joint, and one that is integral to many of the motions and actions that are unique to humans and allow us to carry out the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint consists of four distinct structures, all of which can be injured or damaged. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. The bones are held in place by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that allow us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, ligaments also create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Within 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, both hard bone and soft tissue, are essential to the healthy functioning of the knee joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can result in a knee injury. If you or a family member have recently suffered 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 your knee injury treatment options in Gray Summit, MO today or request an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Gray Summit, MO and the US

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — an impeccably designed joint that allows us to execute tasks and movements that are unique to humans. But this complex joint is susceptible to a number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries make up only one type of knee injury individuals in Gray Summit, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. Though physical activity is the more likely cause of knee injuries in young people, older adults more often get knee injuries after falling or due to the development of a chronic condition like 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
68% of knee injury victims are male
Half of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Among sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, together accounting for more than 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%
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 Gray Summit, 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, which can be anything from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to something much more devastating like a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into multiple pieces. Even the kneecap bone, or the patella, can be broken 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 frequently caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Twisting, pivoting, and other sudden changes in direction can also cause 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 Gray Summit, 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 arthritis or a similar condition and have symptoms of a knee injury 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 damage of the cartilage and in your knee joint.
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is common in patients who frequently 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 repeated force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Gray Summit, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity 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. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, while adequately flexible muscles make it possible to safely enjoy full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some sports put more stress on your knees than do others. Alpine 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 increase your risk of knee injury in Gray Summit, MO. Jobs 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.
Old age. As our bodies age, our tissues start to wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can wear thin, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Gray Summit, MO?

As always, each case is different and you should always consult 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, 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 knee injury sufferer is unique, 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. Immediate, significant swelling that occurs within three to four hours after an instance of acute trauma to the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Gray Summit, 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 Gray Summit, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Gray Summit, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Gray Summit, MO. With extensive clinical success 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 help you successfully heal from your Gray Summit, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you care about and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first Gray Summit, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will perform a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. 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 tissue damage, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapy treatment may involve a variety of treatment modalities to target 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 Gray Summit, MO area have successfully treated hundreds of patients with pain, injuries, and chronic conditions and have restored their ability to do the activities they care about. Find out more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide in the Gray Summit, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Gray Summit, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are experiencing symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a experienced medical professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Gray Summit, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Gray Summit, MO to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Gray Summit, MO