Knee Injury Clinic

The knee is a multi-component complex joint that is prone to numerous ailments. Sprains, ligaments tears, fractures, and dislocations are some of the most frequent knee injuries. Some of the common knee injury treatments we see include:

• ACL Reconstruction
• Meniscus Tear Repairs
• Knee / Patellar Instability
• MCL Tear
• PCL Tear / Injury
• Knee Bursitis
• Baker’s Cyst

Symptoms of a Knee Injury

Common symptoms of knee injury include the following:

• Redness
• Tenderness
• Knee pain
• Difficulty bending the knee
• Problems with weight bearing
• Heat
• Contusions
• Popping or clicking sound
• Locking knees
• A feeling of instability

Causes of Knee Injuries

Most knee injuries are brought on by an external force that twists or bends the knee in a way that it was not anatomically intended to do.

The most common causes of knee injuries include the following:

• Knee bursitis: As a result of several knee injuries the bursae may become inflamed. Bursae are little sacs of fluid that cushion the outside of an individual’s joint so that tendons and ligaments may move easily across the joint.
• Torn meniscus: The meniscus, which is a rubbery and firm cartilage between a person’s shinbone and thighbone that serves as a stress absorber, can be torn if one suddenly twists the knee while bearing weight.
• Patellar tendinitis: Inflammation caused by tendinitis can often happen when there’s an injury to the patella tendon. The patella tendon runs from the kneecap to the shinbone. It is what allows one to kick, run and jump.
• Fractures: The knee bones, particularly the patella (knee cap), can break as a result of falls or car accidents.
• ACL injury: This is a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It is one of the four ligaments that connect a person’s shinbone to the thighbone.

Types of Knee Injuries

The various common types of knee injuries are classified by the affected anatomy of the knee and the mechanism by which it’s injured.

The most prevalent types of knee injuries include:

• Knee sprains
• Knee strains
• Knee bursitis
• Tearing of the meniscus
• Knee joint dislocation
• Knee fractures

Even while severe knee injuries may be permanently incapacitating, they are rarely life-threatening. Some knee injuries cause permanent, persistent damage to the knee and may have side effects like long-term disability. Dislocations of the knee joint can seriously disable a person and damage blood vessels.

Diagnosis of Knee Injuries

• The diagnosis of knee injury involves evaluation of the patient’s medical history, a physical examination, and sometimes the use of X-ray or MRI.
• The doctor will perform specific tests involving bending or twisting the knee to test the stability of the ligaments and check for damage to the cartilage. This depends on how the knee was injured.
• It may be essential to conduct additional imaging tests, such as CT scans to assess the injury’s severity and choose the best course of action. Whereas MRIs are used to evaluate soft tissues, X-rays and CT scans assess bonny injuries.

Treatment of Knee Injuries

• Anti-inflammatory medication may be used to treat chronic knee ailments involving bursitis and inflammation.
• Knee immobilization to help stabilize an injured knee that may not be stable due to torn ligaments.
• Orthopedic surgeon consultation may be necessary for more severe injuries involving fractures, torn ligaments, instability of the knee joint, edema, and limited range of motion.
• For severe ligament tears or meniscal tears, knee fractures, and dislocations surgery may be necessary.
• Most knee surgeries are performed by arthroscopy, which is a surgical procedure in which small cuts are made in the knee through which surgical tools are inserted.
• After surgery the doctor may recommend physical therapy to strengthen and stretch the muscles surrounding the knee.