Knee Injury in Mackenzie, MO

Knee Injury in Mackenzie, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your day to day living, and often results in long-term harm. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Mackenzie, MO. Knee injuries can happen in any number of situations — often when you least expect it. However, knee injuries are most commonly caused by age-related deterioration, exposure to repetitive motions, and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while being physically active.

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 near Mackenzie, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will lead you toward a stronger, healthier, pain-free you.

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What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest joint in the human body and is pivotal to many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complicated tasks our busy lives require. This body part is made up of four distinct 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 held together by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that work together to 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 create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the ends of the bones are 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, 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 have recently experienced any kind of trauma in or around your knee or have developed a chronic condition that could cause damage to the knee structure, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss how to care for and heal your knee injury in Mackenzie, MO today or make an appointment online now.

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

The knee is a complex part of the human body — a beautifully 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 account for the most common type of sports injury, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one type of knee injury that people in Mackenzie, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. While young people more often get knee injuries from sports and other physical activities, older adults who sustain knee injuries most often do so in acute injuries involving falls and ramps or through chronic conditions like osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following 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 suffer a knee injury
Men are more likely to have a knee injury than women, making up 68% of all knee injury sufferers
Half of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Among sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, each responsible for in excess of a quarter of all sports knee injuries
Other 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; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Mackenzie, MO

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, 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 stress fracture or crack in the bone 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 broken during a knee injury, especially in events such as car accidents or forceful falls on hard surfaces.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Injury to the ligaments and cartilage in and around the knee are often caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. 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. You can learn more about our treatment and therapy services for Mackenzie, MO 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 arthritis or a similar condition and have symptoms of a knee injury like pain or stiffness, you may have an arthritis-induced knee injury. You may even be at risk of developing bone spurs. Arthritis can result in rapid and irreparable degeneration of the cartilage and in your knee joint.
Tendonitis and Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in people who engage in frequent activities like running, jumping, and cycling. 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 repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Mackenzie, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese 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 also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis because it speeds up 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 can help you achieve full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some sports put more strain on your knees than do others. Downhill snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the repeated force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all involve a risk of knee injury in Mackenzie, MO. Occupations that require activities that put stress on the knees like auto work or farming also can increase your risk.
History of previous injury. Being injured in the past makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Age. As our bodies age, the tissues in our body wear down. The knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can wear thin, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Mackenzie, MO?

As always, each case is different and it is important that you 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, in some cases emergency medical attention should be sought. 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, significant 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 Mackenzie, 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 Mackenzie, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Mackenzie, MO area, you will work with a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Mackenzie, MO. With years of clinical experience restoring knee injury patients back to optimal performance, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to help you successfully heal from your Mackenzie, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you care about and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near Mackenzie, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will perform an evaluation of your overall condition, health history, and an injury screening. From providing a full and accurate picture of your overall health to consistently practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, it is imperative that you take an active role in your physical therapy treatment of your knee injury.

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 treatment modalities to target the source of 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 Mackenzie, 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 love. Learn more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Mackenzie, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Mackenzie, 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 as soon as possible. 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 Mackenzie, MO will guide you in your recovery by creating a personalized treatment plan based on the latest proven practices in movement health. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Mackenzie, MO to begin your healing journey and obtain relief from your knee injury.