Knee Injury in Wildwood, MO

Knee Injury in Wildwood, MO. Suffering a knee injury has the power to disrupt your everyday life, and is likely to cause long-term symptoms. Anyone could be at risk of a knee injury in Wildwood, 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 advanced age, exposure to repetitive motions, and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.

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. For your swift and successful recovery, contact the movement experts at Axes Physical Therapy near Wildwood, MO. Our team 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 joint in the human body and is integral to many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans and allow us to accomplishing the complicated tasks we use every day to go about our lives. This joint consists of four different 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. The 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, the ligaments act to create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped in a layer of cartilage — essentially a cushion that protects 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 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 have 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 structure, contact Axes Physical Therapy to discuss how to care for and heal your knee injury in Wildwood, MO today or request an appointment online now.

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

The human knee is a sophisticated part of the human body — an impeccably designed 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 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 Wildwood, MO and throughout the US can suffer. 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 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
Nearly half (49.5%) of all knee injuries occur in sports accidents
Of 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 knee injuries related to sports
After sports injuries, most common knee injury causes are 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 lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Wildwood, MO

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is affected. These injuries 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, and these kinds of injuries range in extent from a small, partial crack like a hairline fracture to a much more brutal break such as a comminuted fracture when the bone is crushed into multiple pieces. Even the kneecap bone, or the patella, 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. 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 cause a tear to the meniscus — 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 Wildwood, MO physical therapy services for ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. Many different types of arthritis exist and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you suffer from arthritis or a similar condition 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 irreversible damage 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 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.

Knee Injury Risk Factors in Wildwood, MO

Excessive weight. Heaviness or obesity puts undue stress on your knee joints, even during ordinary activities from walking, sitting and standing, and going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight 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 increase the risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles protect your joints and keep them properly aligned, while adequately flexible muscles can help you achieve full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put greater strain on your knees than do others. Alpine snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated force your knees take when you run or jog all increase your risk of knee injury in Wildwood, MO. Occupations that involve repetitive stress on the knees such as maintenance or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
History of previous injury. Being injured in the past puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
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.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Wildwood, MO?

As always, each patient is unique and it is important that you consult with a licensed medical 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, 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, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. 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 in the three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is usually a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

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

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Wildwood, MO area, you will work with one dedicated physical therapist who will work with you for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Wildwood, MO. With years of clinical experience guiding knee injury patients back to full movement health, 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 Wildwood, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you value and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near Wildwood, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct an evaluation of your overall condition, health history, and an injury screening. 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, it is critical 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 damaged tissue, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapist may employ a variety of treatments to target your knee injury.

Therapeutic exercises and stretches
Training to correct posture, gait, or other movement technique
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 Wildwood, MO area have successfully treated hundreds of patients with pain, injuries, and chronic conditions and have restored their ability to do the activities they love. Discover more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Wildwood, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Wildwood, MO Now

If you suffered an acute knee injury while being active or are suffering from symptoms of any type of knee injury, it is important to consult 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 Wildwood, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact our Wildwood, MO treatment professionals or find our facility that is most convenient for you to restore your mobility and acheive relief from your knee injury.