About
The knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased knee problems occur, pain and difficulty walking can be the result.
Knee problems are very common and they occur in people of all ages. Joint problems can interfere with daily activities, from participation in sports, to simply getting up from a chair and walking..
Specialists who Treat Knee Joint Injuries and Disorders:
- Orthopedic Surgeon – a physician who manages special problems of the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons diagnosis your injury or disorder, provide treatment with medication, exercise, surgery or other treatment plans, encourage rehabilitation by recommending exercises or physical therapy to restore movement, strength and function. Orthopedic surgeons prepare patients for surgery as a knee joint injury usually requires surgical correction.
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation – is a medical specialty concerned with diagnosis, evaluation, and management of persons of all ages with physical and/or cognitive impairment and disability.
- Pain Medicine – the field of medicine that is concerned with the prevention of pain, and the evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of persons in pain.
- Physical Therapist - healthcare professionals who can help patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility through developing fitness and wellness programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.
Types
Common types of Knee joint injury or disorder: our program director here said all these “injuries” aren’t done in the JRC at LBM. They are more ortho care, by some of our surgeons, but not truly joint replacement techniques. She said too that if we say disorder here we should add in degenerative joint disorder.
- ACL injury - changing direction rapidly, slowing down when running, and landing from a jump may cause tears in the ACL. Athletes who participate in skiing and basketball, and athletes who wear cleats, such as football players, are susceptible to ACL injuries.
- MCL injury - injuries to the MCL are usually caused by a direct blow to the outside of the knee. These types of injuries often occur in contact sports, such as football or soccer.
- PCL injury – the PCL is often injured when an athlete receives a blow to the front of the knee or makes a simple misstep on the playing field.
- Torn cartilage – when people talk about torn knee cartilage, they are usually referring to a torn meniscus. The meniscus is a tough, rubbery cartilage that is attached to the knee's ligaments. The meniscus acts like a shock absorber. In athletic activities, tears in the meniscus can occur when twisting, cutting, pivoting, decelerating, or being tackled. Direct contact is often involved.
Symptoms
Knee joint injury or disorder symptoms may include:
- Stiffness or the inability to bend or straighten the knee(s).
- Pain accompanied with noticeable swelling, redness, and fever.
- Inability to stand.
- Limping.
- Falling down while attempting to stand.
- Feeling numbness in the affected leg (knee).
- Visible signs of injury, such as an abnormal appearance or malformation.
Risk Factors & Prevention
You are at a greater risk for knee joint injury if you:
- Are a woman who is 65 or older.
- Have osteoporosis.
- Are a young adult who participates in high-intensity sports that require jumping, running or other active movements that produce stressful situations on the body.
Reduce the onset of knee joint injury by:
- Maintaining or losing weight.
- Warming up body with stretches before a workout.
- Performing low-intensity workouts if you have joint-related medical conditions.