Knee Injury in Washington, MO

Knee Injury in Washington, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your daily life, and is likely to cause long-term symptoms. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in Washington, 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, repetitive motions, 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. Increase your chances of a full, successful recovery by trusting the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury in the Washington, MO area. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will design a treatment plan to maximize your recovery and restore you to optimal movement.

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What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee earns the title of the largest human joint and is pivotal to executing so many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complex tasks our busy lives require. The knee is composed of four types of structures, all of which are susceptible to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. These three bones are bound together by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that allow 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. Within 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, 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 result in a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered any kind of trauma to your knee or surrounding area or have developed a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss your knee injury treatment options in Washington, MO today or schedule an appointment online now.

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

The human knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — an impeccably constructed joint that allows us to move and act in ways that are unique to humans. But this complex joint is vulnerable to a number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, making up 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries make up only one type of knee injury that people in Washington, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. While physical 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 like osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following 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
68% of knee injury victims are male
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Of all sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, each responsible for over a quarter of all knee injuries related to sports
Other top knee injury causes are 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 lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Washington, MO

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, planting the foot and pivoting, twisting the knee in the wrong direction).
Fractures. A fracture is another word for a broken bone, which can be anything from a hairline fracture or crack in the bone to a much more brutal break such as a comminuted fracture when the bone shatters into several fragments. 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 catastrophic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Injury to the ligaments and cartilage in and around the knee are frequently caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. 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 Washington, 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, 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. The right care that targets the underlying cause of your pain can prevent further damage
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. Tendons in the knee area can become inflamed through overuse or repeated stress, common in people who engage in frequent running, jumping, or cycling activities. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is jumper’s knee because of the strain to the tendon that occurs as a result of the repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Washington, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese puts undue stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during what are generally considered light activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. It also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis because of the premature breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, while adequate muscle flexibility can help you safely achieve full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put more stress on your knees than do others. Downhill skiing with its rigid ski boots and potential for falls, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all involve a risk of knee injury in Washington, MO. Occupations that involve repetitive stress on the knees such as maintenance or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Having a previous knee injury puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Advanced age. As we age, the tissues in our body wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can break down, and diseases like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in Washington, MO

As with any medical condition or injury, each case is unique and it is important that you consult with a licensed healthcare professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that 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, the biggest warning sign that you need immediate knee injury treatment is swelling. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury is a hallmark sign that the injury is serious and medical care is warranted. Quick, significant swelling that occurs in the 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 Washington, 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 Washington, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Washington, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will work with you by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Washington, MO. With extensive clinical success guiding 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 Washington, MO knee injury at the source, successfully returning you to all the activities you love so you can go about your regular life at home, at work, and in your personal time.

During your first Washington, MO appointment with Axes for your 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 practicing the prescribed treatments and 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 tissue damage, and restore your mobility. To this end, 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 physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Washington, 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. Learn more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients in the Washington, MO area, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Washington, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury while being active or are experiencing any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a trustworthy medical professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Washington, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Washington, MO to begin your healing journey and obtain relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Washington, MO