Knee injuries are common among many people and can be debilitating. The knee is a complicated joint that has many ligaments and tendons that keep it stable. When you have an injury to the knee, it can affect your mobility and even your livelihood. It may even come about that you will require an orthopaedic surgeon to fix or help the injury so it doesn’t get worse. Here we will discuss some of the most frequent types of knee injuries.
Torn Meniscus
The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between the knee bones. If it becomes torn, you may begin to experience pain and swelling in your knee. Can you walk with a torn meniscus for long? Yes! But, the pain will make it difficult to walk. You can injure your meniscus by twisting or overextending your knee, and this injury often occurs during sports activities such as skiing, football, soccer, and basketball.
If you have a torn meniscus, you may notice it when getting up from a seated position. When you stand, your knee will lock and not bend until the meniscus has had time to stretch back out again. You will need a checkup with your doctor to determine the severity of the injury, and then you will need physical therapy. It is even possible that you may require knee replacement surgery in some cases of a torn meniscus. If this happens to you and you enjoy your outdoor activities, then it may be worth asking questions like can you jog after knee replacement? By doing so, you’ll know what to expect and the best way to recover.
Torn ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most important stabilizing structures in your knee, and it can become torn if you injure yourself while playing sports. If you tear this ligament, your knee will not be able to flex or extend properly anymore; pain and swelling may also occur.
If you have an ACL injury, you will need to have acl tear surgery singapore and begin physical therapy immediately. Your doctor can determine how severe your damage is with an MRI scan of the knee. It may take anywhere from six months up to a year for your ligament to heal enough that it doesn’t affect you anymore.
Knee Fractures
A knee fracture is a break in the bone around your knee, which can be very painful. You will not be able to walk on this leg while waiting for the swelling and pain to go away, and sometimes you will need surgery to help the bone heal correctly.
If you have injured yourself and suspect that you may have fractured your knee cap, then visit an emergency room immediately so they can assess your condition. It would be best not to attempt to walk on the leg after an injury because it could worsen, and you may need surgery or special tools to help correct the break.
Knee contusion (bruising)
A knee contusion is a bruise that you can get when something hits your knee very hard; these are common in sports such as football or basketball when another player falls into your knee. This can be very painful and will cause a lot of swelling in the area, but most contusions heal on their own without any help from medical professionals.
A bruised bone is just like any other bruise that you might get elsewhere on your body, so you need to allow time for it to heal. You can apply ice or heat to the area, take over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil), elevate your leg, and keep moving around throughout the day if you are able.
Patellar Tendinitis
The patellar tendon is what your quadriceps attach to at the top of your leg, and it can become inflamed if you have overused this area. This will cause pain when you are walking, standing up from a seated position, or climbing stairs, so it can be very uncomfortable for some people.
If you suspect that you might have patellar tendinitis, then you need to speak with your doctor about the best course of action. You may be able to treat it at home through rest and ice, or you might require medication for it to heal properly. Sometimes, the injury can be so severe that you need surgery.
Knee Bursitis
A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that surrounds your joints and tendons to keep them from rubbing together. If you injure this area, you might get knee bursitis where the lining of the bursa becomes inflamed, so it will cause pain when moving around or swelling in the area.
If you have bursitis, you will need to rest the knee and take over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You can also try putting ice on it for twenty minutes at a time many times throughout the day until your symptoms subside; remember not to put ice directly onto your skin, though, because this could damage it.
There are many different knee injuries that you might encounter, and your doctor can help determine what is wrong with you to treat it. If the injury is severe, then you may need surgery. Otherwise, home remedies or over-the-counter medications should do the trick. Ensure that you give your knee plenty of time to heal before you return to any activities that require a lot of movement.
