Knee Injury in High Ridge, MO

Knee Injury in High Ridge, MO. A knee injury has the power to disrupt your daily life, and is likely to cause long-term symptoms. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in High Ridge, MO. 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 age-related deterioration, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while being physically active.

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 the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near High Ridge, MO. The experienced staff 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 Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body and is critical to many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals and allow us to performing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint consists of four distinct structures, any of which are susceptible to injury. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. These three bones are bound together by groups of muscles, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that allow us to move our legs. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, the ligaments also create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the ends of the bones are capped in 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 parts that make up the knee, 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 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, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to learn about how to care for and heal your knee injury in High Ridge, MO today or book an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Causes and Prevalence in High Ridge, MO and the US

The knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — a beautifully designed joint that makes it possible for 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, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries are just one type of knee injury individuals in High Ridge, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. Though athletic activity is the more common 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 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 experience a knee injury
68% of knee injury victims are male
Half of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Of all sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, together accounting for over 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%; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common High Ridge, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is affected. 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 is another word for a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in severity from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to a much more brutal break such as a comminuted fracture when the bone shatters into multiple fragments. Even the kneecap bone, called the patella, 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 frequently caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Twisting, pivoting, and other sudden changes in direction can also cause 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 treatment and therapy services for High Ridge, MO ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. Many different types of arthritis exist and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you suffer from a chronic condition like arthritis and experience knee injury symptoms like pain or stiffness, 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.
Tendonitis and Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is common in patients 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 repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in High Ridge, MO

Excessive weight. 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 is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis because of the premature breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, and adequately flexible muscles make it possible to safely enjoy full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some sports put greater strain on your knees than do others. Downhill snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated pounding your knees take when you run or jog all increase your risk of knee injury in High Ridge, MO. Jobs that involve activities that put stress on the knees such as maintenance or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Old 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 break down, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in High Ridge, MO

As always, each patient is different and you should always 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, 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 each injury and patient is different, some times immediate medical care is warranted. 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, extensive 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 High Ridge, 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 High Ridge, 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 High Ridge, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in High Ridge, 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.

Getting Physical Therapy for your Knee Injury in High Ridge, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the High Ridge, MO area, you will be assigned one dedicated physical therapist who will work with you by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in High Ridge, MO. With years of clinical experience 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 treat the cause of your High Ridge, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you care about so you can go about your regular life at home, at work, and in your personal time.

During your first High Ridge, 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 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 critical that you are an active participant in your physical therapy treatment of your knee injury.

In order to eliminate pain and other symptoms, heal the damaged tissue, and return you to optimal physical performance, your physical therapy treatment may involve a variety 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 therapies
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The experts in movement health and the musculoskeletal system at Axes Physical Therapy in the High Ridge, 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. Discover more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients in the High Ridge, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in High Ridge, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are experiencing any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Talk to a trustworthy healthcare 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 High Ridge, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact our High Ridge, 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.