The knee is one of the most common body parts injured, and it can happen at any age. It can result from twisting or bending force applied to your knee or a blow from sports, fall, or accident. Knee pain and swelling are the main symptoms of a knee injury. There are high chances you will experience a knee injury if you engage in sports. Dr. Zachary K Perlman, a sports medicine specialist, can treat your knee injury using non-invasive techniques that promote quick and effective healing. There are various knee injuries based on the part injured or cause of injury. These forms include:
Knee sprains
Knee sprains involve damage to ligaments that hold your knee together. Multiple ligaments stabilize and align your knee. Ligament sprains are grouped according to the extent of instability they cause and the tearing or stretching of the ligament fibers. Your ligament can be stretched, but no fibers are torn without instability or partially with mild unrest, or entirely with instability.
Knee strains
Knee strains happen when the tendons or muscles surrounding your knee are stretched due to hyperflexion or hyperextension of the knee. These strains can cause pain in the outer part of your knee joint, causing dysfunction of the usual motion of your knee. Stretching the patellar tendon from the lower kneecap to the tibia bone front at the front of your leg can lead to knee strain.
Knee bursitis
Knee bursitis occurs when your fluid-filled pouch, the bursa in your knee, is irritated, inflamed, or infected. You have two main bursas in your knee, one above the kneecap and another below the knee joint neighboring the front of the tibia bone. Bursas act as shock absorbers which reduce friction between muscles and tendons around your knee joint.
Tears of meniscus
Tears of meniscus occur when inside parts of your knee are damaged. The medial and lateral menisci are semi-round articular cartilage acting as shock absorbers and smooth cushions for your femur. Overuse or aging can injure or gradually dysfunctional these menisci leading to knee pain and swelling.
Knee joint dislocation
Knee joint dislocation results from high-impact and large-force injuries to your knee, such as sports or motor vehicle accidents. Although rare, these joint dislocations can cause severe damage to all anatomical components of your knee, involving blood vessels and nerves damage. This knee injury requires immediate medical treatment or surgery. Patella dislocation can be very painful, but your doctor can treat it through physical therapy and pop it back to its usual place.
Knee fractures
Knee fractures happen when your knee is blown directly. If you fall instantly onto your knees and your kneecap cracks due to sudden pressure, this will result in a knee fracture. A sudden compression of your knee can collapse the top of the tibia bone in the knee, which mainly happens in osteoporosis patients. In rare instances, you can get fractures in the fibula, tibia, and femur bones.
Although some home remedies can relieve knee pain, visiting your specialist will diagnose the cause of your knee injury and administer the proper treatment. Schedule an appointment at Kai Sports Medicine LLC for knee injury treatment using minimally invasive techniques.