The Most Common Knee Injuries and Their Treatments

Those of us with well functioning knees don’t really think about how blessed we are with the ease of walking, sitting down, standing up, and the movement our knees give us, until a knee problem or injury happens. With knees being so essential in our daily activities, if you experience any knee pain symptoms, such as swelling, pain, or inability to walk properly, it’s essential to seek out knee treatment as soon as possible. We will introduce you to the basic anatomy of the knees and enlist some of the most common injuries that can happen along with the possible available treatments.

The Anatomy of the Knee:

Our knees are joints connecting our upper legs and lower legs, enabling us to bend our legs in between. With this body part being this complex, it’s always useful to learn a little bit more about it, to know what can cause a knee problem now or in the future.
Our knees have 4 essential parts:

• Bones
• Cartilage
• Ligaments
• Tendons

As the knee is affected by so many movements, all four of these parts are vulnerable to damages and injuries, in many different ways. Let’s see a couple of these most common injuries.

Common Knee Injuries:

• Fracturing: Most commonly caused by heavier accidents such as falls, the most common fracturing point is the patella. Often, corrective surgeries are required to make the knee heal normally.
• Dislocation: It can happen at anytime, especially if your knee is weaker, but mainly happens with athletes or with those doing active sports such as running. This is when one bone goes out of place due to a missed movement, a trauma, or crashes and throws. The knee has to be re-located either manually or by surgery, then the wearing of bracing, resting, and rehab are essential.
• ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Injuries: This is a very bad injury and that’s why it’s called a career-breaker in sports. It happens with fighters, soccer, and football players most commonly. ACL is commonly due to a sudden movement and sudden change in movement, in which the knee cannot fully follow up. ACL reconnecting requires one or more corrective surgeries and a whole lot of rehabilitation and healing time.
• PCL (Posterior Ligament) Injuries: Less serious than ACL, PCL often happens in crashes or accidents when something hits the knee while it’s in the bent state. As it often only results in a partial tear, it has a higher potential to heal fully.
• Collateral Ligament Injuries: This results from a sudden force pushing the knee sideways, such as a blow to the knee.
• Meniscal Tears: This often happens with athletes, when their knees are over-forced or experience an bad involuntary movement. Corrective surgery and bracing is required for healing.
• Tendon Tears: Usually caused by playing sports, especially for those who are middle-aged. Corrective surgery and bracing is required for healing.

As you can see, the knee is prone to injuries and fixing these injuries often requires surgical procedures. If you experience any issues with your knees, check in with a good knee injury doctor to obtain the proper treatment for your knee pain.