Knee Injury in Lemay, MO

Knee Injury in Lemay, MO. Suffering a knee injury has the power to disrupt your everyday life, and often results in long-term harm. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Lemay, 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 age-related deterioration, repetitive motions, and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while engaging in physical activity.

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 Lemay, MO. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will lead you toward a stronger, healthier, pain-free you.

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

What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest human joint and is critical to many of the motions and actions that are unique to humans and allow us to performing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint is made up of four types of structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are a number of bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. The three bones are attached by muscle groups, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that work together to make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, the ligaments act to provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the end of each bone is 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 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 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 experienced any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have a chronic condition that could cause damage to any part of the knee, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to discuss the best choice for the treatment of a knee injury in Lemay, MO today or book an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Lemay, MO and the US

The knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — an intricately constructed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements that are unique to humans. However, along with the intricate design comes an inherent susceptibility to a number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one category of knee injury that people in Lemay, 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 such as osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following 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
Fifty percent of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Of sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, together accounting for more than a quarter of all sports knee injuries
Other top causes of knee injuries are related to 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; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Lemay, MO

Sprains and Strains. A sprain or strain knee injury involves a muscle or ligament within the joint structure of the knee. 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 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 shatters into several pieces. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, 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 padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can get more information about our treatment and therapy services for Lemay, MO ACL tears near you.
Arthritis. Many different types of arthritis exist and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you suffer from arthritis or a similar condition 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. The right care that targets the underlying cause of your pain can prevent further damage
Tendonitis and Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is common in patients 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 after jumping.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Lemay, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity puts undue stress on your knees and most other joints in the body, even during ordinary 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.
Weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can increase the risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, while 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. Alpine skiing with its rigid ski boots and potential for falls, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the relentless force your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in Lemay, MO. Occupations that require repetitive stress on the knees such as installation or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
History of previous injury. Having a previous knee injury puts you at a higher risk of injuring 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 degrade, and diseases like osteoporosis leave your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Lemay, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As always, each patient is different and it is important that you speak with a licensed healthcare professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that 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, 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. Quick, extensive swelling that happens within three to four hours after an instance of acute trauma to the knee is usually a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

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

Knee Injury Physical Therapy in Lemay, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Lemay, MO area, you will be assigned one dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Lemay, MO. With extensive clinical success guiding knee injury patients back to optimal performance, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to treat the cause of your Lemay, 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 Lemay, 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 physical therapy treatment of your knee injury.

Your physical therapist will devise a custom treatment plan to eliminate pain and other symptoms, repair damaged tissue, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapy treatment may involve a variety of treatments to target the source of your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
Gait and posture training
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 Lemay, 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 near Lemay, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Lemay, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a experienced healthcare professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Lemay, MO will guide you in your recovery by creating a personalized treatment plan based on the latest proven practices in movement health. Contact our Lemay, MO treatment professionals or find our facility that is most convenient for you to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.