Knee trauma is any injury, pain, or discomfort of the knee. Some patients continue to live with knee problems instead of seeking professional treatment from a doctor. Modern, technologically advanced treatments are available for orthopedic ailments, including cases of knee trauma. Explore the treatment options that could help you regain the full function of your knees and get back to walking, running, exercising, standing, and living in comfort.
Causes of Knee Trauma Your knees are made up of a complex network of ligaments, cartilage, and bones that can all become damaged, strained, sprained, or injured. These are some of the most common causes of knee trauma:
- Knee fractures (broken or cracked bones). - Dislocated knee (bones move out of place, affecting alignment). - ACL or PCL injuries (affect the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament—these injuries are common in athletes). - Tears of the meniscus ligament (usually caused by twisting the knee in an unnatural position). - Tendon tears (tendons stretch and eventually tear apart without therapy).
Knee Therapies Whether you’re an athlete or someone who works a job that requires a lot of physical activity, it’s a good idea to have an orthopedic doctor and surgeon on call. These are some of the non-surgical and surgical therapies that can help with cases of knee trauma:
- Physical therapy (exercises to help restore the condition of ligaments and tendons). - Time off your feet (being immobilized for a while with a knee brace can inspire healing). - Knee arthroscopy (a camera and scope are used to take a closer look inside of the knee so that a targeted treatment plan can be recommended). - Knee revision or replacement and ligament reconstruction. - Cartilage transplants (surgery to replace lost cartilage and strengthen the knee joints).
Protect Your Knees You probably have a good idea of what originally caused your knee trauma, such as a repetitive activity or an awkward fall while playing sports. There are ways you can protect your knees in the future to reduce the chance of another injury:
- Keep your knees wrapped or braces to stabilize them throughout the day. - Stretch and do light targeted exercises recommended by your orthopedic doctor (such as squats and hamstring curls) to keep your knees flexible and healthy.
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