Knee Injury in Scotsdale, MO

Knee Injury in Scotsdale, MO. Suffering a knee injury has the power to disrupt your everyday life, and often persists with long-term symptoms. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Scotsdale, MO. Knee injuries can happen in a variety of ways — often when you least expect it. However, the most common knee-related complaints are knee injuries related to 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 in the Scotsdale, MO area. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will guide you in a recovery plan that leaves you stronger and healthier than ever before.

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What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest joint in the human body and is integral to many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint is made up of four distinct structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. The three bones are held in place by muscle groups, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that work together to make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, ligaments act to create stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the end of each bone is capped in a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones from one another and absorbs the shock of movement and weight that introduce pressure to the joint.

All parts that make up the knee, both hard bone and soft tissue, are essential 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 cause a knee injury. If you or a family member have recently suffered any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or suffer from a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee, contact Axes Physical Therapy to learn about your knee injury treatment options in Scotsdale, MO today or request an appointment online now.

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

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — a beautifully constructed 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 number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries are the most common of all sports injuries, contributing to 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries make up only one category of knee injury that people in Scotsdale, MO and throughout the US can suffer. While athletic activity is the more popular 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 such as 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
68% of knee injury victims are male
Fifty percent of all knee injuries take place during physical activity
Among all sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, each responsible for more than a quarter of all sports-related knee injuries
Other top knee injury causes 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 lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Scotsdale, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. A sprain or strain knee injury involves a muscle or ligament within the joint structure of the knee. 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 describes a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in severity 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 car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other traumatic events.
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 meniscus tear (the cartilage between the bones in the knee) and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. If you have been diagnosed with or believe you have suffered an ACL injury learn more about our treatment and therapy services for Scotsdale, 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 arthritis or a similar condition 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 damage of the cartilage and in your knee joint.
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in patients who engage in frequent running, jumping, or cycling activities. 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 severe force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Scotsdale, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese introduces inordinate stress on your knees and most other joints in the body, even during ordinary activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can increase the risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, while adequately flexible muscles can help you utilize a full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some sports put more strain on your knees than do others. Alpine snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated pounding your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in Scotsdale, MO. Occupations that involve repetitive stress on the knees like installation or farming also can increase your risk.
Previous Injury. Being injured in the past puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Age. As our bodies age, our tissues start to wear down. The knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can break down, and diseases like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Scotsdale, MO?

As always, each case is different and you should always consult with a licensed and practiced healthcare professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that affects your ability to function normally or live comfortably. After all, who wants to go through life with chronic pain or any sort of physical limitation, especially in a part of the body as critical to movement and daily life as the knee?

While your experience as a knee injury sufferer is unique, in some cases emergency medical attention should be sought. After suffering 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 indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Immediate, extreme swelling that happens within three to four hours after an instance of acute trauma to the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

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

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Scotsdale, MO area, you will work with one dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Scotsdale, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring knee injury patients back to full 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 Scotsdale, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you value so you can go about your regular life at home, at work, and in your personal time.

During your first Scotsdale, 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, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. It is critical that you are an active participant 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 therapy treatment may involve a variety of treatments to target the source of 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 experts in movement health and the musculoskeletal system at Axes Physical Therapy in the Scotsdale, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they love. Discover more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near Scotsdale, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Scotsdale, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury while being active or are experiencing any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a knowledgeable medical professional as soon as possible. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Scotsdale, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the Scotsdale, MO area to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.

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