Knee Injury in Webster Groves, MO

Knee Injury in Webster Groves, MO. Suffering a knee injury can wreak havoc on your daily life, and often results in long-term harm. There is nobody in Webster Groves, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, the most common knee-related complaints are knee injuries related to advanced age, exposure to repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while engaging in physical activity.

If you have any symptoms related to the knee — pain, buckling, stiffness, swelling or irritation — you could be suffering from a knee injury. For your swift and successful recovery, contact Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury near Webster Groves, MO. The experienced staff of physical and occupational therapists will help you heal fully and safely.

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What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body and is critical to executing so many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complicated tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint is made up of four distinct structures, all of which can be injured or damaged. 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. The three bones are bound together by groups of muscles, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, ligaments act to create stability and limit movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped in 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 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 cause a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered any kind of trauma in or around your knee or suffer from a chronic condition that could lead to damage to any part of the knee, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to discuss your knee injury treatment options in Webster Groves, MO today or make an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Causes and Prevalence in Webster Groves, MO and the US

The human knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — a beautifully designed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements that are unique to humans. However, along with the intricate design comes an inherent susceptibility to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, contributing to 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one type of knee injury that people in Webster Groves, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. While young people more often get knee injuries from sports and other physical activities, 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 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 experience a knee injury
68% of knee injury victims are male
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries take place during physical activity
Among all sports-related knee injuries, the sports activities most likely to lead to injury are soccer and skiing, each responsible for in excess of a quarter of all sports knee injuries
Other top causes of knee injuries are related to home structures (30.2%), and home furnishings (13.6%)
The overwhelmingly most common knee injury diagnoses are strains and sprains at 42.1%; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Webster Groves, 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 are caused by sudden force to the knee or a sudden or unintended motion of the knee (for example, planting the foot and pivoting, twisting the knee in the wrong direction).
Fractures. A fracture is another word for a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in extent from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to something much more devastating like a comminuted fracture when a bone is crushed into several pieces. Even the patella, the bone commonly known as the kneecap, can be fractured 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 frequently caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Twisting, pivoting, and other sudden changes in direction can also cause 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 get more information about our treatment and therapy services for Webster Groves, MO ACL tears near you.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient’s experience of the condition is their own. However, if you live with arthritis or a similar condition and experience knee injury symptoms 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 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. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is common in people 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.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Webster Groves, MO

Excessive weight. Being overweight or obese introduces inordinate stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during ordinary activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight is also a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis because of the premature breakdown of joint cartilage.
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, while adequately flexible muscles make it possible to safely enjoy full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some sports put greater stress on your knees than do others. Alpine snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the repeated pounding your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in Webster Groves, MO. Occupations that require activities that put stress on the knees like 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.
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 break down, and diseases like osteoporosis leave your bones weak, making you.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in Webster Groves, MO

As with any medical condition or injury, each patient is unique and you should always speak 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 each injury and patient is different, some times immediate medical care is warranted. 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. Rapid, significant swelling that happens 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 Webster Groves, 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 Webster Groves, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Webster Groves, MO area, you will work with a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Webster Groves, MO. With years of clinical experience guiding 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 treat the cause of your Webster Groves, 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 Webster Groves, 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 number of treatment modalities to target the source of your knee injury.

Therapeutic exercises and stretches
Gait and posture training
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 Webster Groves, 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. Discover more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Webster Groves, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Webster Groves, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a trustworthy medical professional as soon as possible. As licensed physical and occupational therapists with decades of clinical experience restoring the mobility of our patients, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Webster Groves, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Webster Groves, MO to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.