Knee Injury in Murphy, MO

Knee Injury in Murphy, MO. A knee injury can wreak havoc on your day to day living, and is likely to cause long-term symptoms. There is nobody in Murphy, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. A knee injury can happen in a variety of ways — often when you least expect it. However, knee injuries are most commonly caused by aging, exposure to repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.

Are you experiencing knee-related symptoms like pain, swelling, or buckling? You may have a knee injury, whether or not you can identify a specific moment of trauma that could explain the injury. For your swift and successful recovery, contact Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near Murphy, MO. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will help you heal fully and safely.

knee injury Murphy, MO | Murphy 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 many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans and allow us to performing the complicated tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This body part is made up of four different structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. These bones are held together by groups of muscles, connected by tendons and ligaments, that allow us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, ligaments also provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the ends of the bones are capped by a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions 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 lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member have recently suffered an acute trauma to your knee or surrounding area or suffer from a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to learn about your knee injury treatment options in Murphy, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Causes and Prevalence in Murphy, MO and the US

The human knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — an intricately constructed joint that allows us to move and act in ways other animals cannot. However, the intricate joint design brings with it an inherent susceptibility to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries are just one category of knee injury that people in Murphy, MO and throughout the US can suffer. Though 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 such as osteoarthritis.

Consider 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, making up 68% of all knee injury sufferers
Fifty percent of all knee injuries take place during physical activity
Of 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 sports knee injuries
Other top causes of knee injuries are related to home structures at 30.2% and home furnishings at 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 Murphy, 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 another word for a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in extent from a hairline fracture or crack in the bone to a much more brutal break like a comminuted fracture when the bone shatters into several fragments. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be fractured 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. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions can also cause a meniscus tear — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can get more information about our Murphy, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears near you.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you live with arthritis or a similar condition and experience knee injury symptoms like pain and limited mobility, 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. 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. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is what is known as 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.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Murphy, MO

Excessive weight. Being overweight or obese increases stress on your knee joints, even during ordinary activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. It is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis because of the premature breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, and adequate muscle flexibility make it possible to enjoy full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some sports put greater strain on your knees than do others. Downhill snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and potential for falls, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all increase your risk of knee injury in Murphy, MO. Occupations that require activities that put stress on the knees like maintenance or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Age. As we age, the tissues in our body wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can wear thin, and diseases like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Murphy, MO?

As always, each case is unique and you should always speak with a licensed medical 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, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. 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 happens within three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

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

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Murphy, 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 Murphy, MO. With years of clinical experience guiding 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 Murphy, 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 Murphy, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will perform an evaluation of your overall condition, health history, and an injury screening. From ensuring that your physical therapist is operating with a complete picture of your condition and overall health to consistently practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, it is imperative that you take an active role in your knee injury physical therapy treatment.

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 therapy treatment may involve a variety of treatments to target the source of your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
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 physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Murphy, 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 value. Find out more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients in the Murphy, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Murphy, 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, it is important to consult 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 Murphy, 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 Murphy, MO to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Murphy, MO