Knee Injury in Meacham Park, MO

Knee Injury in Meacham Park, MO. A knee injury can wreak havoc on your daily life, and is likely to cause long-term symptoms. There is nobody in Meacham Park, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. A knee injury 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 aging, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), 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 Meacham Park, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will help you heal fully and safely.

knee injury Meacham Park, MO | Meacham Park physical therapy for knee injury

What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest joint in the human body, and one that is pivotal to many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complicated tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This body part consists of four distinct structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are a number of bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These three bones are attached by groups of muscles, connected by tendons and ligaments, that make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, the ligaments act to provide stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the end of each bone is capped by a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones where they meet and works as a shock absorber when movement or weight put pressure on the joint.

All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, whether soft tissue or bone, 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 lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered an acute trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss your knee injury treatment options in Meacham Park, MO today or book an appointment online now.

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

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human body — a beautifully constructed joint that allows 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, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one category of knee injury that people in Meacham Park, MO and throughout the US can suffer. 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.

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 suffer 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 take place during physical activity
Among all sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, together accounting for in excess of a quarter of all knee injuries related to sports
Other top knee injury causes are related to home structures (30.2%), and home furnishings (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 cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Meacham Park, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. A sprain or strain knee injury involves a muscle or ligament within the joint structure of the knee. These injuries 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 hairline fracture or crack in the bone to a much more brutal break like a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into several pieces. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be fractured during a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other traumatic 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 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 get more information about our treatment and therapy services for Meacham Park, 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 live with 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. 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 Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is common in individuals who engage in frequent running, jumping, or cycling activities. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the repeated force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Meacham Park, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese puts undue stress on your knees and most other joints in the body, even during what are generally considered light activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. It is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis because it speeds up the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, while muscle flexibility make it possible to enjoy full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some sports put greater stress on your knees than do others. Downhill skiing with its rigid ski boots and harsh landings, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the relentless pounding your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in Meacham Park, MO. Jobs that involve activities that put stress on the knees such as auto work or farming also can increase your risk.
Previous Injury. Being injured in the past makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Age. As we age, our tissues start to wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can degrade, and diseases like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Meacham Park, MO?

As always, each patient is different and you should always consult with a licensed and practiced healthcare professional when a knee injury or any condition affects your ability to function normally or live comfortably. 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. 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 is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Immediate, extreme swelling that occurs 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.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Meacham Park, 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 Meacham Park, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Meacham Park, MO area, you will be assigned one dedicated physical therapist who will work with you for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Meacham Park, MO. With years of clinical experience restoring knee injury patients back to full 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 treat the cause of your Meacham Park, 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 Meacham Park, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct 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 engaging in the prescribed exercises, it is critical 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 therapist may employ a number of methods to target the source of 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 Meacham Park, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they value. Learn more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Meacham Park, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Meacham Park, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are experiencing symptoms of any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a experienced medical professional as soon as possible. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Meacham Park, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the Meacham Park, MO area to begin your healing journey and obtain relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Meacham Park, MO