Knee Injury in Leadington, MO

Knee Injury in Leadington, MO. A knee injury can wreak havoc on your daily life, and often results in long-term harm. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Leadington, MO. 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 age-related deterioration, exposure to repetitive motions, 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. For your swift and successful recovery, contact Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near Leadington, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will release you from pain and restore your mobility.

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

What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest human joint, and one that is pivotal to many of the motions and actions that distinguish us from other animals and allow us to carry out the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint is made up of four distinct structures, any 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. The three bones are held in place by groups of muscles, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that make it possible for us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, the ligaments also provide stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the end of each bone is capped by a layer of cartilage — essentially a cushion that protects the hard bones from one another and absorbs the shock of movement and weight that introduce pressure to the joint.

All parts that make up the knee, whether soft tissue or bone, 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 lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered an acute trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have developed a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, contact Axes Physical Therapy to discuss your knee injury treatment options in Leadington, MO today or make an appointment online now.

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

The knee is a complex part of the human body — an intricately designed joint that makes it possible for 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 number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one type of knee injury individuals in Leadington, MO and throughout the US can suffer. While athletic activity is the more popular cause of knee injuries in young people, 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:

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
Men are more likely to have a knee injury than women, with 68% of knee injury patients categorized as male
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Of sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, together accounting for more than a quarter of all sports-related knee injuries
After sports injuries, top knee injury causes are home structures at 30.2% and home furnishings at 13.6%
By far the most common type of knee injury is a strain or sprain, making up 42.1% of all knee injury cases, followed by contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Leadington, MO Knee Injuries

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 describes 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 like a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into multiple fragments. Even the kneecap bone, or the patella, can be broken in 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 result in a tear to the meniscus (the cartilage between the bones in the knee) 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 Leadington, MO 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 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. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in patients who regularly perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is 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 Leadington, MO

Excessive weight. Heaviness or obesity introduces inordinate stress on your knee joints, 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 by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, while adequately flexible muscles make it possible to safely achieve full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some sports put greater strain on your knees than do others. Downhill skiing with its rigid ski boots and harsh landings, basketball jumps and pivots, and the relentless force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all increase your risk of knee injury in Leadington, MO. Occupations that require activities that put stress on the knees such as construction or farming also can increase your risk.
History of previous injury. Being injured in the past puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Advanced age. As we age, our tissues start to wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can degrade, and diseases like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Leadington, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As with any medical condition or injury, each case is different and you should always consult with a licensed and practiced healthcare professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that affects your ability to function normally or live comfortably. After all, if there was a treatment solution that could treat your chronic pain and restore your mobility in a joint as important as the knee, wouldn’t you try it?

While your experience as a knee injury sufferer is unique, 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 is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Quick, extensive swelling that happens in the three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is usually a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Leadington, 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.

Knee Injury Physical Therapy in Leadington, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Leadington, MO area, you will be assigned one dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Leadington, 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 Leadington, 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 Leadington, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. From providing a full and accurate picture of your overall health to consistently engaging in the prescribed exercises, it is imperative that you are an active participant in your knee injury physical therapy treatment.

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 number of methods to target your knee injury.

Therapeutic exercises and stretches
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 Leadington, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they love. Find out more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Leadington, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Leadington, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury while being active or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a experienced medical professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Leadington, MO will guide you in your recovery by creating a personalized treatment plan based on the latest proven practices in movement health. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the Leadington, MO area to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.