Do you have a knee injury? If so, this blog post is for you! Common knee injuries can be very painful and difficult to recover from. It can sometimes lead to a major surgery that can take months of recovery time. You may also need to consult your knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale several times just to get on the road to recovery.
This article will go into detail about how to avoid common knee injuries that could potentially keep you off the field or out of work.
Common Knee Injuries
1. Knee Fracture
A knee fracture is a break in the upper bone of your leg. Fractures can be caused by an injury, or they may develop over time due to repetitive stress on the joint. The severity ranges from minimal damage that heals with immobilization and surgery, to catastrophic injuries which require amputation and reconstruction.
If you have pain around your knee joint and swelling, you should seek medical attention from a knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale immediately.
Two types of fractures affect the knee: patella fracture (the bone underneath your kneecap) and tibial plateau fracture (which is at the top of your shinbone). A broken patella will cause pain in front of or behind one knee or both knees.
Patella fractures are usually only a problem if the kneecap is dislocated–if you can’t find your patella, it may have been pushed out of place and needs to be realigned.
2. ACL Injuries
An ACL injury is a knee ligament tear, which can occur in different ways including twisting or pivoting on the heel and planting your foot, and then rotating it inward (pivot shift). It also occurs when you pivot from your leg without keeping enough weight on that side of the body; this causes one knee to twist while the other remains straight.
The ACL is a ligament located in your knee that provides stability and helps with forwarding motion by limiting side-to-side movement of the upper leg bone relative to the lower leg bones.
Symptoms include swelling, tenderness, pain, or instability when bending or twisting the injured knee.
Treatment usually includes surgery to repair the ligament and rehabilitation. Consult your knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale immediately. The recovery time is about six months, with an increased risk of early arthritis in many cases.
3. Sprain or Strain
This is one of the most common knee injuries. It can occur from a sudden or forceful use of your knee, such as in contact sports like football and basketball, where players are thrown to the ground while still holding on to their opponent’s clothes.
You don’t have to be playing when you sprain an ankle; it can happen when you step on something sharp or twist your knee.
Most sprains are graded as mild to moderate and will heal with rest within a week. Some signs that indicate an injury is more severe include pain on the inside of the joint line (medial), inability to put the weight down on the affected leg, and swelling around the knee. If that’s the case you may need to consult your knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale immediately.
4. Meniscus Injuries
Meniscus injuries are the most common knee injury in athletes and non-athletes. There are two menisci in each knee: one on the outside of your leg, and a smaller one inside.
It is possible to injure either or both with an impact from a blow that twists or pinches your knee, like what happens when you hit your knee against a chair, or when you fall on an uneven surface. There are two types of meniscus injuries: tears and degeneration.
If the injury is too severe to play through without pain or discomfort then you must consult with a knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale for treatment. You may need surgery if there are any ruptures in the meniscus or tears in the lining of your knee joint.
5. Overuse Injuries
Overuse injuries are injuries that happen when the same muscles are used over and over again with little to no recovery time.
These injuries are most common in runners, but can also be found in weightlifters as well. Common overuse injuries include patella tendonitis (jumper’s knee), Osgood-Schlatter disease, iliotibial band syndrome, and plantar fasciitis.
Overuse injuries are most likely to happen when you have not properly warmed up before exercising.
Overuse injuries can be treated with rest, ice, stretching, or strengthening exercises.
It’s important to avoid overusing the same muscles and then expecting them to heal on their own!
If you have an overuse injury it is a good idea to see your knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale for advice about what kind of treatment might work best for you.
Ways to Avoid Knee Injuries
Warm-Up Before Exercising
Before you start your exercise routine, it’s important to make sure that the muscles in your body are warmed up. A good way of doing this is by going for a run or cycling before jumping into some weight training exercises.
This will lessen the chance of pulling something and injuring yourself then trying to work out with cold stiff muscles.
Wear Supportive Shoes and Avoid High Heels
One way to protect yourself from a knee injury is to wear supportive shoes. High heels and sandals can put more pressure on your knees than flats or sneakers, so it’s best not to wear them when you’re going out for a long walk or hike.
You should also avoid wearing high heels during the day in general because they will strain your feet and your back, which can lead to all sorts of other health problems.
If you just have to wear heels for a special occasion or work event, avoid wearing them after the age of 40 and do lots of stretching beforehand so your feet will be less sore afterward. The best way to walk in high-heeled shoes is by placing one heel directly in front of the other and taking short, small steps.
Don’t wear heels if you have flat feet or any kind of bone/joint conditions in your legs because it will make your pain worse and might cause further injury to a weakened joint.
Start Slowly
Don’t start sprinting right away. When starting out, start walking and then work your way up to jogging. This will help you build the strength in your leg muscles necessary for long-term injury prevention.
Start slowly with a brisk walk before moving on to running or other more strenuous exercises such as jumping rope or playing soccer.
If it’s too difficult to walk, then start with cycling on the elliptical machine or a stationary bike.
If you’re not sure if your knee is ready to handle this workout routine, ask your knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale for advice before starting anything new.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Carrying too much weight puts excess pressure on the knee. Maintaining a healthy weight will help to avoid unnecessary stress and strain on your knees.
Make sure you’re eating balanced meals with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products.
Avoid overindulging in empty-calorie foods like donuts or fast food burgers that are high in fat, sugar, and salt.
Get Regular Exercise
Walking, jogging, and cycling are all good ways to get your knee joints moving regularly. Find a physical activity that you enjoy doing and stick with it!
Regular exercise is an important part of avoiding common knee injuries such as runner’s knee, patella tendinitis, bursitis, or compartment syndrome.
Walking boosts joint health by lowering the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis and maintaining a healthy weight.
Get out there, get moving, visit a knee doctor Ft. Lauderdale if need be and keep your knees happy!