Knee Injury in Parkdale, MO

Knee Injury in Parkdale, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your everyday life, and often persists with long-term symptoms. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in Parkdale, MO. A knee injury 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 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 in the Parkdale, MO area. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will design a treatment plan to maximize your recovery and restore you to optimal movement.

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

What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body, and one that is integral 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 consists of four distinct structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are multiple bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These bones are held together by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that allow us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, ligaments act to provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are 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 parts that make up the knee, whether soft tissue or bone, are critical to the knee’s ability to function as a strong and healthy 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 in or around your knee or have a chronic condition that could cause damage to any part of the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to learn about the best choice for the treatment of a knee injury in Parkdale, MO today or request an appointment online now.

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

The knee is a complex part of the human body — an impeccably constructed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements 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 are just one category of knee injury individuals in Parkdale, MO and throughout the US can suffer. While athletic activity is the more common culprit for knee injuries in young people, older adults more often get knee injuries after falling or due to the development of a chronic condition like osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following facts and statistics provided by 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 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 take place during physical activity
Of 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 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%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Parkdale, 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 another word for a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in extent from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to something much more devastating such as a comminuted fracture when a bone is crushed 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 cause a tear to the meniscus — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can learn more about our Parkdale, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. Many different types of arthritis exist and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you suffer from a chronic condition like arthritis and have symptoms of a knee injury 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.
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in individuals who regularly perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is jumper’s knee because of the strain to the tendon that occurs as a result of the severe force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Parkdale, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity increases stress on your knee joints, even during ordinary activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or 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 safely achieve full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some sports put more stress on your knees than do others. Alpine skiing with its rigid ski 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 Parkdale, MO. Occupations that require activities that put stress on the knees such as construction or farming also can increase your risk.
Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Age. As our bodies age, the tissues in our body 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 Parkdale, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As always, each case is unique and you should always consult with a licensed medical professional when a knee injury or any condition 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. 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 indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Immediate, extensive swelling that happens in the three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is usually a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

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

Getting Physical Therapy for your Knee Injury in Parkdale, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Parkdale, 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 Parkdale, 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 Parkdale, 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.

When you visit Axes near Parkdale, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will perform 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, 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.

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 therapist may employ a number of treatment modalities to target 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 Parkdale, 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 the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Parkdale, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Parkdale, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are suffering from any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a knowledgeable healthcare professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Parkdale, MO will guide you in your recovery by creating a personalized treatment plan based on the latest proven practices in movement health. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the Parkdale, MO area to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Parkdale, MO