Knee Injury in New Melle, MO

Knee Injury in New Melle, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your everyday life, and often results in long-term harm. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in New Melle, 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, 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.

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 Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near New Melle, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will design a treatment plan to maximize your recovery and restore you to optimal movement.

knee injury New Melle, MO | New Melle 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 one that is integral to executing so many of the motions and actions that distinguish us from other animals and allow us to accomplishing the complicated tasks we use every day to go about our lives. The knee is composed of four types of structures, all of which are susceptible to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. The three bones are attached by muscle groups, connected by tendons and ligaments, that allow us to move our legs. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, ligaments act to provide stability and limit 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 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 knee’s ability to function as a strong and healthy joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can result in a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered any kind of trauma in or around your knee or have a chronic condition that could lead to damage to any part of the knee, contact Axes Physical Therapy to learn about your knee injury treatment options in New Melle, MO today or make an appointment online now.

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

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — an impeccably designed 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 variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries make up only one category of knee injury individuals in New Melle, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. 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 like osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following facts and statistics from 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
Half of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Among sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, together accounting for more than a quarter of all sports knee injuries
After sports injuries, most common causes of knee injuries are home structures (30.2%), and home furnishings (13.6%)
The overwhelmingly most common knee injury diagnoses are strains and sprains at 42.1%; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in New Melle, MO

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is damaged. Injuries of this nature 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 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 is crushed into several pieces. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be broken in a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other traumatic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Damage to the ligaments and cartilage in and around the knee are frequently caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions 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 get more information about our New Melle, 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 suffer from arthritis or a similar condition and experience knee injury symptoms like pain and limited mobility, you may have an arthritis-induced knee injury. You may even be at risk of developing 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 patients who regularly perform activities like running, jumping, and cycling. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries 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 after jumping.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in New Melle, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese introduces inordinate stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during ordinary activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. It is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, while adequate muscle flexibility make it possible to safely achieve full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some sports put more 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 pounding of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all involve a risk of knee injury in New Melle, MO. Occupations that involve repetitive stress on the knees such as installation or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
History of 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 break down, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in New Melle, MO

As always, each patient is unique and it is important that you consult with a licensed medical 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, 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 patient is unique, 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. Quick, extensive swelling that occurs in the 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 New Melle, 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 New Melle, 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 New Melle, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in New Melle, 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 New Melle, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the New Melle, MO area, you will work with a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in New Melle, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring knee injury patients back to optimal movement health, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to help you successfully heal from your New Melle, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you care about and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first New Melle, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will perform a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. From ensuring that your physical therapist is operating with a complete picture of your condition and overall health to consistently engaging in the prescribed exercises, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. It is imperative that you take an active role 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 variety of therapies to target your knee injury.

Therapeutic exercises and stretches
Gait and posture training
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 New Melle, 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. Learn more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near New Melle, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in New Melle, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury while being active or are experiencing 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 New Melle, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact our New Melle, MO treatment professionals or find our facility that is most convenient for you to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury New Melle, MO