Knee Injury in Weldon Spring, MO

Knee Injury in Weldon Spring, MO. A knee injury has the power to disrupt your daily life, and is likely to cause long-term symptoms. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in Weldon Spring, MO. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, the majority of knee injury victims experience damage due to age-related deterioration, repetitive motions, and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while being physically active.

Do you have knee pain, buckling, stiffness, swelling, or other symptoms related to the knee? 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 Weldon Spring, 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.

knee injury Weldon Spring, MO | Weldon Spring physical therapy for knee injury

What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body, and one that is integral to many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals and allow us to accomplishing the complicated tasks our busy lives require. The knee consists of four types of structures, any of which can be injured or damaged. 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 held together by groups of muscles, connected by tendons and ligaments, that make it possible for us to move our legs. In addition to connecting bones within the joint together, the ligaments also provide stability and prevent 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 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 cause a knee injury. If you or a family member recently experienced an acute trauma to your knee or surrounding area or suffer from a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee structure, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to discuss how to care for and heal your knee injury in Weldon Spring, MO today or book an appointment online now.

Prevalence and Common Causes of Knee Injuries in Weldon Spring, MO and the US

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — a beautifully designed joint that allows us to move and act in ways 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, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one category of knee injury that people in Weldon Spring, MO and throughout the US can suffer. 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 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 suffer a knee injury
68% of knee injury victims are male
Half of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Among 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 causes of knee injuries are related to 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; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Weldon Spring, MO

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is damaged. These injuries are caused by sudden force to the knee or a sudden or unintended motion of the knee (for example, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
Fractures. A fracture describes a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in extent from a stress fracture or crack in the bone 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 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 tear to the meniscus (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 get more information about our treatment and therapy services for Weldon Spring, 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 experience knee injury symptoms like pain and limited mobility, your arthritis may be causing a knee injury and can even lead to the potential development of bone spurs. Without the proper quality arthritis treatment for joint health, you face rapid and irreparable damage to your knee joint cartilage. 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 running, jumping, or cycling activities. A common form of tendonitis in the knee 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 Weldon Spring, MO

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese introduces inordinate stress on your knee joints, even during what are generally considered light activities from walking, sitting and standing, and 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. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of succumbing to a knee injury. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, and adequate muscle flexibility can help you safely enjoy full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some sports put greater stress on your knees than do others. Alpine skiing with its rigid ski boots and harsh landings, basketball jumps and pivots, and the relentless force your knees take when you run or jog all involve a risk of knee injury in Weldon Spring, MO. Jobs that require repetitive stress on the knees like maintenance or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Being injured in the past makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Advanced age. As our bodies age, our tissues start to wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can break down, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Weldon Spring, MO Knee Injury Treatment

As always, each case is different and it is important that you consult with a licensed healthcare professional when a knee injury or any condition 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, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. 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, extensive 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 Weldon Spring, 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 Weldon Spring, 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 Weldon Spring, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in Weldon Spring, 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 Weldon Spring, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Weldon Spring, MO area, you will be assigned a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Weldon Spring, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring knee injury patients back to optimal 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 help you successfully heal from your Weldon Spring, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you care about and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near Weldon Spring, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will perform 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 practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. It is critical that you are an active participant in your knee injury physical therapy treatment.

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 treatments to target 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 Weldon Spring, MO area have successfully treated hundreds of patients with pain, injuries, and chronic conditions and have restored their ability to do the activities they care about. Find out more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Weldon Spring, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Weldon Spring, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury or are suffering from symptoms of 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 Weldon Spring, MO will guide you in your recovery by creating a personalized treatment plan based on the latest proven practices in movement health. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Weldon Spring, MO to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.