Knee Injury in Huntleigh, MO

Knee Injury in Huntleigh, 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 Huntleigh, 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 advanced age, exposure to repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), 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 for help with your knee injury in the Huntleigh, MO area. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will guide you in a recovery plan that leaves you stronger and healthier than ever before.

knee injury Huntleigh, MO | Huntleigh physical therapy for knee injury

What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body and is critical to executing so many of the motions and actions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to performing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint is composed of four types of 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. These three bones are bound together by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that allow us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, ligaments act to provide stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped by a layer of cartilage — essentially a cushion that protects 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, whether soft tissue or bone, are essential to the knee’s ability to function as a strong and healthy joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered an acute trauma in or around your knee or have a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, contact Axes Physical Therapy to learn about your knee injury treatment options in Huntleigh, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Prevalence and Common Causes of Knee Injuries in Huntleigh, MO and the US

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human body — an impeccably designed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements other animals cannot. But this complex joint is vulnerable to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, contributing to 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries are just one category of knee injury individuals in Huntleigh, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. 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 such as osteoarthritis.

Check out these fast knee injury 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
Fifty percent 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 over a quarter of all sports knee injuries
After sports injuries, most common causes of knee injuries are related to 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 lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Huntleigh, MO

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is damaged. These injuries are caused by sudden force to the knee or a sudden or unintended motion of the knee (for example, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
Fractures. A fracture is a broken bone, which can be anything from a stress fracture or crack in the bone to a much more brutal break like a comminuted fracture when the bone is crushed into multiple 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 result in a tear to the meniscus — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can learn more about our Huntleigh, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears near you.
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 Other Forms of Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is commonly found in patients who engage in frequent activities like running, jumping, and cycling. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the severe force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Huntleigh, MO

Excessive weight. Being overweight or obese introduces inordinate stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, 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 it speeds up the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can increase the risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, while muscle flexibility can help you reach full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some sports put more stress 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 pounding of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all increase your risk of knee injury in Huntleigh, MO. Jobs that require activities that put stress on the knees such as auto work or farming also can increase your risk.
History of previous injury. Having a previous knee injury makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Age. As our bodies age, the tissues in our body wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can break down, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Huntleigh, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As always, each case is unique and you should always speak with a licensed and practiced 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, 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. 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.

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

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Huntleigh, MO area, you will work with one dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Huntleigh, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring knee injury patients back to optimal performance, 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 Huntleigh, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you love and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first Huntleigh, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. 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 therapist may employ 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 physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Huntleigh, 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 the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide in the Huntleigh, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Huntleigh, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury while being active or are experiencing any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, it is important to consult 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 Huntleigh, 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 Huntleigh, MO to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Huntleigh, MO