Knee Injury in Grover, MO
Knee Injury in Grover, MO. A knee injury can wreak havoc on your everyday life, and often persists with long-term symptoms. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Grover, MO. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, the most common knee-related complaints are knee injuries related to age-related deterioration, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.
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 Axes Physical Therapy in the Grover, MO area. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will design a treatment plan to maximize your recovery and restore you to optimal movement.
What Are Knee Injuries?
The knee is the largest joint in the human body and is integral to executing so many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complex tasks our busy lives require. This joint is made up of four distinct structures, any of which can be injured or damaged. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.
The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. These bones are attached by muscle groups, connected by tendons and ligaments, that work together to make it possible for us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, ligaments act to provide stability and limit 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 absorbs the shock of movement and weight that introduce pressure to the joint.
All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, both hard bone and soft tissue, are critical to the healthy functioning of the knee joint, and any kind of damage to the bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments within the joint can cause a knee injury. If you or a family member recently experienced any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee structure, contact Axes Physical Therapy to learn about your knee injury treatment options in Grover, MO today or make an appointment online now.
Knee Injury Causes and Prevalence in Grover, MO and the US
The human knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — an impeccably designed joint that allows us to move and act in ways that are unique to humans. However, the intricate joint design brings with it an inherent susceptibility to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one category of knee injury individuals in Grover, MO and throughout the US can suffer. While physical activity is the more likely 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 experience a knee injury
- 68% of knee injury victims are male
- Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries are caused by sports-related injuries
- Of all sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, together accounting for in excess of a quarter of all sports knee injuries
- After sports injuries, most common knee injury causes 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 cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%
Most Common Grover, 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 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 the bone shatters into several fragments. Even the kneecap bone, or 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. 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 Grover, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears near you.
- Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you suffer from a chronic condition like arthritis 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. 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. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is common in individuals who frequently perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is what is known as jumper’s knee because of the strain to the tendon that occurs as a result of the severe force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.
Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Grover, MO
- Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity puts undue stress on your knee joints, even during what are generally considered light activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. It 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, while adequately flexible muscles can help you safely achieve full range of motion.
- Some activities and occupations. Some sports put more stress on your knees than do others. Alpine skiing with its rigid ski boots and harsh landings, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all increase your risk of knee injury in Grover, MO. Jobs that involve repetitive stress on the knees like auto work or farming also can increase your risk.
- Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
- Advanced age. As our bodies age, the tissues in our body wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can break down, and diseases like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.
Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Grover, MO?
As with any medical condition or injury, each case is unique and you should always consult with a licensed healthcare 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, 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. 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, extensive swelling that occurs within three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.
What To Do After a Knee Injury in Grover, 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 Grover, MO
When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Grover, MO area, you will be assigned one dedicated physical therapist who will work with you for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Grover, MO. With extensive clinical success guiding knee injury patients back to full performance, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to help you successfully heal from your Grover, 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 Grover, MO appointment with Axes for your 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 practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, 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 number of therapies 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 Grover, MO area have a track record of effectively addressing the source of our patients’ pain, injuries, and movement disorders and returning them to the activities they love. Find out more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near Grover, MO, such as:
Recover from your Knee Injury in Grover, 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, do not waste any time. Talk to a experienced medical professional as soon as possible. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Grover, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact our Grover, 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.
