Knee Injury in St. Ann, MO

Knee Injury in St. Ann, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your day to day living, and even your long-term well-being. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in St. Ann, MO. Knee injuries can happen in any number of situations — often when you least expect it. However, knee injuries are most commonly caused by age-related deterioration, 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 for help with your knee injury near St. Ann, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will help you heal fully and safely.

knee injury St. Ann, MO | St. Ann 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 is pivotal to many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans and allow us to accomplishing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. The knee consists of four distinct structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

There are multiple bones that make up the knee, including the tibia, femur, and patella. These three bones are held in place by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that allow us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, the ligaments also create stability and prevent 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 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, 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 lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member recently experienced any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to learn about how to care for and heal your knee injury in St. Ann, MO today or schedule an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in St. Ann, MO and the US

The knee is a complex part of the human body — an intricately designed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements that are unique to humans. But this complex joint is vulnerable 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. And sports injuries make up only one category of knee injury that people in St. Ann, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. While athletic activity is the more popular cause of 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.

Consider these fast knee injury 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 experience a knee injury
Men are more likely to have a knee injury than women, with 68% of knee injury patients categorized as 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, together accounting for in excess of a quarter of all sports-related knee injuries
Other top knee injury causes are related to home structures at 30.2% and home furnishings at 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%

Most Common St. Ann, MO Knee Injuries

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 describes 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 multiple fragments. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be broken during a knee injury, especially in events such as car accidents or forceful falls on hard surfaces.
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. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions can also result in a meniscus tear — 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 learn more about our St. Ann, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you suffer from a chronic condition like arthritis and have symptoms of a knee injury like pain and limited mobility, you may have an arthritis-induced knee injury. You may even be at risk of developing bone spurs. Arthritis can result in rapid and irreparable degeneration of the cartilage and in your knee joint.
Tendonitis and Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is common 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 repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in St. Ann, MO

Excessive weight. Heaviness or obesity introduces inordinate stress on your knee joints, even during ordinary activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. It is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis because of the premature breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can increase the risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, and adequately flexible muscles can help you reach full range of motion.
Specific activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put greater strain on your knees than do others. Downhill snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the relentless pounding your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in St. Ann, MO. Occupations that involve activities that put stress on the knees such as auto work or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
History of previous injury. Having a previous knee injury makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Advanced age. As we age, our tissues start to wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can wear thin, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in St. Ann, MO?

As with any medical condition or injury, each case is unique and it is important that you speak with a licensed and practiced healthcare 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, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. 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 indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Quick, extreme swelling that happens within three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in St. Ann, 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 St. Ann, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the St. Ann, MO area, you will be assigned one dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in St. Ann, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring 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 St. Ann, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you care about and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near St. Ann, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. 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 are an active participant 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 therapist may employ a number of methods to target your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
Gait and posture training
Heat and ice therapies
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The movement health professionals at Axes Physical Therapy in the St. Ann, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they value. Discover more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near St. Ann, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in St. Ann, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury while being active or are experiencing symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Talk to a knowledgeable medical professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in St. Ann, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact the professionals at any of our accessible treatment locations in the St. Ann, MO area to begin your healing journey and obtain relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury St. Ann, MO