The largest joint in the body is the knee. It is also one of the most commonly injured joints in the body. Since all of the moving parts of the knee are sensitive, the knee is prone to various types of injuries. If you are experiencing some type of knee pain, it is important that you get checked out by a knee pain doctor. They will determine the cause of your knee injury and provide you with the best solutions for treatment.
Knee Injuries
There are various types of knee injuries that can occur. In some cases, more than one knee structure may be affected and injured.
Knee Fracture
Your knee cap is protected by your patella against injuries to your knee joints. If you collide with an object or even fall, your kneecap will make first contact and protects various parts of the knee joint. This means that your kneecap is susceptible to sustaining fractures.
While knee fractures are common, they are extremely serious. The knee has to be stable to allow the bone to heal. Depending on the severity of your knee fracture, surgery may be needed.
Knee Dislocation
When bones pop out of place, this is considered a knee dislocation. This can occur when there is a big impact on the knee including a collision, fall, or even a car accident.
In some situations, the knee will correct itself on its own. You may still experience soreness, but it will still function the same way. However, you may need to have your knee put back into its proper place if it doesn’t pop back in on its own. A doctor will be able to adjust the bones back in place via a quick motion.
Knee Ligament Injury
For those that play sports, ligament injuries are very common. They happen when the knee becomes overextended or moves in a direction it shouldn’t naturally move. The ligaments are unable to support this awkward movement, thus resulting in an injury. Since the ligaments are there to keep the knee in place, they can tear or stretch if they are forced too much and unable to do their job properly.
Common ligament injuries include the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), and MCL (medial collateral ligament).
Meniscus Tear
Meniscus tears happen during sports where twisting or jumping is involved, such as volleyball or basketball. These injuries are also common in soccer or football, where athletes quickly change directions while running. Any type of twisting, pivoting, or cutting of the knee can cause a torn meniscus.
Knee Injury Treatment
If you are only experiencing minimal knee pain, you can typically treat your pain with rest, ice, elevation, and compression. However, if you have sustained a more serious knee injury, treatment will vary. One of the first steps involved in treating knee injuries is keeping them stabilized. You will probably have to wear a knee brace to keep the joint from moving.
Sometimes physical therapy is recommended to help restore the function of your knee joint. It will also help strengthen the muscles surrounding your knee.
In certain cases, knee surgery is recommended to fully restore its function when other treatment methods have failed. Sometimes, knee injuries are unable to heal on their own, such as a torn ligament. Most knee surgeries are minimally invasive and can be performed using only small incisions. There may be some cases where your surgeon will have to make a larger incision in order to repair your knee injury.
