Knee Injury in Lake Tekawitha, MO

Knee Injury in Lake Tekawitha, MO. A knee injury can wreak havoc on your everyday life, and is likely to cause long-term symptoms. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Lake Tekawitha, MO. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, the majority of knee injury victims experience damage due to aging, repetitive motions, and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while engaging in physical activity.

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 Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury in the Lake Tekawitha, MO area. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will release you from pain and restore your mobility.

knee injury Lake Tekawitha, MO | Lake Tekawitha physical therapy for knee injury

What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest joint in the human body and is critical to executing so many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complicated tasks our busy lives require. The knee is made up of four types of structures, all of which are susceptible to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are multiple bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These three bones are held in place by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that work together to make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, ligaments act to create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the end of each bone is capped in 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, both hard bone and soft tissue, are essential 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 experienced any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have developed a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss how to care for and heal your knee injury in Lake Tekawitha, MO today or schedule an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Causes and Prevalence in Lake Tekawitha, MO and the US

The human knee is a complex part of the human body — an impeccably designed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements other animals cannot. 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, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one category of knee injury that people in Lake Tekawitha, 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.

Consider these fast knee injury facts and statistics from Society for Academic Emergency Medicine:

Adolescents 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 occur in sports accidents
Among 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 knee injuries related to sports
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 lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Lake Tekawitha, 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, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
Fractures. A fracture is a broken bone, which can be anything from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to a much more brutal break such as a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into multiple fragments. Even the kneecap bone, called the patella, can be fractured in a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other traumatic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Damage 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 result in a meniscus tear — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can learn more about our Lake Tekawitha, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears near you.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you live with a chronic condition like arthritis and experience knee injury symptoms like pain and limited mobility, you may have an arthritis-induced knee injury. You may even be at risk of developing 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 Other Forms of Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is commonly found in individuals who engage in frequent running, jumping, or cycling activities. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is what is known as jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the severe force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Lake Tekawitha, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese puts undue stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during ordinary 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. Inadequate strength or flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, while muscle flexibility make it possible to achieve full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities 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 pounding your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in Lake Tekawitha, MO. Occupations that require repetitive stress on the knees like maintenance or farming also can increase your risk.
Previous Injury. Being injured in the past puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Old 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.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in Lake Tekawitha, MO

As always, each patient is different and you should always speak 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 your experience as a knee injury sufferer is unique, some times immediate medical care is warranted. 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. Rapid, extreme swelling that occurs in the 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 Lake Tekawitha, 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 Lake Tekawitha, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Lake Tekawitha, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Lake Tekawitha, MO. With extensive clinical success guiding knee injury patients back to full movement health, your physical therapist will put their advanced education and the latest empirical data on the most up-to-date treatment practices to use to treat the cause of your Lake Tekawitha, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you love and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first Lake Tekawitha, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will perform 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 engaging in the prescribed exercises, 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 number of treatment modalities to target the source of your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
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 movement health professionals at Axes Physical Therapy in the Lake Tekawitha, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they value. Find out more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide in the Lake Tekawitha, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Lake Tekawitha, 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 as soon as possible. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Lake Tekawitha, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact our Lake Tekawitha, 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.