Knee Injury in Potosi, MO

Knee Injury in Potosi, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your everyday life, and often results in long-term harm. There is nobody in Potosi, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. Knee injuries 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 advanced age, repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while being physically active.

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 the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near Potosi, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will help you heal fully and safely.

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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 executing so many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans and allow us to carry out the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint is made up of four types of 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 bones are attached by groups of muscles, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that make it possible for us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, the 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. 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 parts that make up the knee, whether soft tissue or bone, are essential 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 have recently suffered any kind of trauma in or around your knee or have a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to learn about your knee injury treatment options in Potosi, MO today or request an appointment online now.

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

The knee is a complex part of the human anatomy — a beautifully constructed joint that allows us to execute tasks and movements 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, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries make up only one category of knee injury that people in Potosi, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. While young people more often get knee injuries from sports and other physical activities, older adults more often get knee injuries after falling or due to the development of a chronic condition such as 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 experience a knee injury
68% of knee injury victims are male
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries are caused by sports-related injuries
Of all sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, each responsible for more than a quarter of all knee injuries related to sports
Other top knee injury causes are home structures (30.2%), and home furnishings (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; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Potosi, 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 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 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 the bone shatters into several fragments. Even the kneecap bone, or the patella, can be broken in a knee injury, especially in events such as car accidents or forceful falls on hard surfaces.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Damage to the ligaments and cartilage in and around the knee are often 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 padding the knee where the bones meet — 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 Potosi, MO 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 live with 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. Arthritis can result in rapid and irreparable degeneration 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 Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is commonly found in individuals who engage in frequent activities like running, jumping, and cycling. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is what is known as jumper’s knee. This condition is caused by the severe force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Potosi, 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. 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 succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, while adequately flexible muscles make it possible to enjoy full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put greater strain on your knees than do others. Alpine skiing with its rigid ski boots and potential for falls, basketball jumps and pivots, and the relentless force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all increase your risk of knee injury in Potosi, MO. Occupations that involve repetitive stress on the knees like installation or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Being injured in the past puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Advanced age. As we age, the tissues in our body wear down. The knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can wear thin, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

When You Need Potosi, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As with any medical condition or injury, each patient is unique and you should always consult with a licensed medical professional when a knee injury or any condition 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 each injury and patient is different, in some cases emergency medical attention should be sought. 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, extreme swelling that occurs 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 Potosi, 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 Potosi, 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 Potosi, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in Potosi, 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 Potosi, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Potosi, MO area, you will work with a dedicated physical therapist who will work with you by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Potosi, MO. With years of clinical experience restoring knee injury patients back to full performance, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to treat the cause of your Potosi, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you value and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first Potosi, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct 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, it is imperative that you take an active role in your physical therapy treatment of your knee injury.

Your physical therapist will devise a custom treatment plan to eliminate pain and other symptoms, repair damaged tissue, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapy treatment may involve a variety 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 applications
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The movement health professionals at Axes Physical Therapy in the Potosi, 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 love. Find out more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Potosi, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Potosi, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a knowledgeable 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 Potosi, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the Potosi, MO area to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.