Knee Injury in House Springs, MO

Knee Injury in House Springs, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your daily life, and is likely to cause long-term symptoms. There is nobody in House Springs, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. Knee injuries 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 aging, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), 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. For your swift and successful recovery, contact Axes Physical Therapy near House Springs, MO. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will help you heal fully and safely.

knee injury House Springs, MO | House Springs physical therapy for knee injury

What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest human joint, and one that is critical to many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complicated tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This body part is composed of four different structures, all 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. 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 connecting bones within the joint together, ligaments also provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped in a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions 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 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 suffered any kind of trauma in or around your knee or have developed a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to learn about how to care for and heal your knee injury in House Springs, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Causes and Prevalence in House Springs, MO and the US

The human knee is a sophisticated part of the human body — an intricately constructed joint that allows us to move and act in ways other animals cannot. But this complex joint is vulnerable to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries are just one category of knee injury individuals in House Springs, MO and throughout the US can suffer. Though young people more often get knee injuries from sports and other physical activities, older adults more often get knee injuries after falling or due to the development of a chronic condition like osteoarthritis.

Consider these fast knee injury facts and statistics from 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 take place during physical activity
Among all sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, each responsible for more than a quarter of all sports-related knee injuries
Other top 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%; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in House Springs, MO

Sprains and Strains. A sprain or strain knee injury involves a muscle or ligament within the joint structure of the knee. These injuries 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, which can be anything from a hairline fracture or crack in the bone 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 in a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other catastrophic events.
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 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 learn more about our treatment and therapy services for House Springs, MO ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you live with a chronic condition like arthritis and have symptoms of a knee injury like pain or stiffness, 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 irreversible 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 patients who regularly perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is what is known as 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 House Springs, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity introduces inordinate stress on your knee joints, even during what are generally considered light activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. It is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, while muscle flexibility can help you reach full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some sports put greater strain on your knees than do others. Alpine snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the repeated force your knees take when you run or jog all increase your risk of knee injury in House Springs, MO. Jobs that involve repetitive stress on the knees like auto work or farming also can increase your risk.
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 knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can break down, and diseases like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in House Springs, MO

As always, each case is unique and it is important that you consult with a licensed and practiced 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 patient is unique, 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 indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Quick, extreme 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.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in House Springs, 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 House Springs, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the House Springs, MO area, you will work with one dedicated physical therapist who will work with you by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in House Springs, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring 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 House Springs, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you value and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near House Springs, 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 practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. 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 tissue damage, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapy treatment may involve a number of treatment modalities to target your knee injury.

Therapeutic exercises and stretches
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 House Springs, 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 value. Find out more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near House Springs, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in House Springs, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a trustworthy medical 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 House Springs, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the House Springs, MO area to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.