Knee Injury in Paulina Hills, MO

Knee Injury in Paulina Hills, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your daily life, and even your long-term well-being. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in Paulina Hills, MO. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, the majority of knee injury victims experience damage due to aging, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while engaging in physical activity.

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. For your swift and successful recovery, contact the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy near Paulina Hills, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will release you from pain and restore your mobility.

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What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee is 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 performing the complicated tasks we use every day to go about our lives. The knee consists of four distinct structures, all of which can be injured or damaged. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. The bones are held in place by muscle groups, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that allow us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, the ligaments act to provide stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped in 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 damage to any one or more of these areas can lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered an acute trauma in or around your knee or have developed a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to discuss your knee injury treatment options in Paulina Hills, MO today or schedule an appointment online now.

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

The human knee is a sophisticated part of the human body — an intricately 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 variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries make up only one type of knee injury individuals in Paulina Hills, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. Though physical activity is the more likely culprit for knee injuries in young people, older adults who sustain knee injuries most often do so in acute injuries involving falls and ramps or through chronic conditions like 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 experience knee injuries far more often than women, making up 68% of all knee injury sufferers
Fifty percent of all knee injuries are caused by sports-related injuries
Among sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, together accounting for more than a quarter of all knee injuries related to sports
Other top causes of knee injuries 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, followed by contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Paulina Hills, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is affected. Injuries of this nature happen when the knee meets a sudden force or is suddenly forced in the wrong direction (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 something much more devastating like a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into multiple pieces. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be fractured 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 padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can learn more about our Paulina Hills, MO physical therapy services for 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 a chronic condition like arthritis 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. Arthritis can result in rapid and irreparable damage of the cartilage and in your knee joint. The right care that targets the underlying cause of your pain can prevent further damage
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is common in patients who engage in frequent activities like running, jumping, and cycling. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Paulina Hills, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese increases stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during what are generally considered light activities from walking, sitting and standing, and 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.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. Inadequate strength or flexibility can increase the risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, while adequate muscle flexibility can help you enjoy full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some sports put more stress on your knees than do others. Alpine snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and potential for falls, basketball jumps and pivots, and the relentless pounding your knees take when you run or jog all increase your risk of knee injury in Paulina Hills, MO. Occupations that require activities that put stress on the knees like installation or farming also can increase your risk.
Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Advanced 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 and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in Paulina Hills, MO

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 each injury and patient is different, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. Specifically, when you suffer an acute knee injury, noticeable swelling is a warning sign that you need emergency medical attention. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Rapid, significant 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.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Paulina Hills, 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 Paulina Hills, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Paulina Hills, 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 Paulina Hills, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring knee injury patients back to optimal 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 Paulina Hills, 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 Paulina Hills, 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 practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. 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 therapist may employ a variety of therapies to target your knee injury.

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

Recover from your Knee Injury in Paulina Hills, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a experienced healthcare professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Paulina Hills, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Paulina Hills, MO to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Paulina Hills, MO