Everything You Need to Know About Knee Injury
Everything You Need to Know About Knee Injury
The knee is a complex joint with various bones, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, etc., making it prone to a variety of injuries. The most common knee injuries include sprains, ligament tears, dislocation and fractures. However, most of the time, our knee needs to flex, bend and extend to allow the body to perform many activities.
The knee consists of femur, the thigh bone and shinbone, the tibia. It has patella or kneecap, which covers the meeting point between the femur and tibia.
Knee injury is a common ailment that affects people of all ages. There are many different medical causes of knee injuries that include arthritis, infections and gout. These injuries are treated with the help of medical measure and surgeries, although some minor knee injuries can be treated at home through physical therapy and exercise.
Symptoms
The location and seriousness of knee injury may vary, depending on the cause. However, sometimes due to infection, the whole knee might be swollen and painful. The main signs of knee injury are
• Swelling and stiffness
• Difficulty in walking or limping due to discomfort.
• Redness and warm
• Discomfort in stretching the knee or locking of the knee
• Popping or any kind of noise of the bone
When to See a Doctor?
If your knee starts paining severely or lasts more than a week, you should consult a doctor. In case you notice swelling, can’t bear weight on your knee, unable to fold or flex your knee or have fever due to knee pain, you must visit a doctor.
Causes
Several issues cause knee injury or knee pain and affect the proper functioning of your knee. It occurs especially when the knee gets blunt trauma or twisted in the wrong direction. Besides, it can also happen when you train too much or make any repetitive motions involving the knee. Some common knee injuries are
• ACL Injury
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury is a tear of ligaments that connects your shinbone to your thighbone. People who play sports which require a sudden change in direction like football, basketball, rugby, cricket, etc. are prone to ACL injuries.
• Fractures
Sometimes a direct hit in the bones of the knee or kneecap can cause the knee to break. However, people who have weakened bone due to osteoporosis can face a knee fracture simply by stepping wrong. Knee fractures are not only painful but also interfere in the proper functioning of the knee.
• Meniscus injury
The meniscus is tough, rubbery cartilage situated in between thighbone and shinbone, which acts as a shock absorber between bones. It can get torn when you suddenly twist your knee.
• Dislocation
The knee joint can sometimes get dislocated when the knee hits anything hard. Knee dislocation is a severe medical issue as it compromises blood flow to the leg and causes other related problems.
Prevention
• Maintain a healthy weight, as it is one of the best things you can do.
• Proper nutrition is essential for healthy bones.
• Exercise for knees to make the bones strong and flexible.
• Always warm up to relax your muscles and joints before a workout.
• While playing any kind of sports, make sure the techniques and movement patterns must be right.
• If you frequently cut, bend at the knees and hips to reduce the chances of an ACL injury.
