Studies show that roughly 1 in 4 Americans living today struggle with chronic or recurring knee pain. This can make even simple daily tasks like bending, walking, or standing difficult, which in turn can lead to an overall reduced quality of life.
At Mid-County Physical Therapy, we believe that everyone deserves a chance to live a full life free of discomfort and mobility issues. That’s why we’re proud to offer our patients the very best physical therapy solutions for knee pain.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear (ACL Tear)
An anterior cruciate ligament injury is extreme stretching or tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. A tear may be partial or complete. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that attach one bone to another. The ACL connects the thighbone to the shin bone, crossing the knee.
For an unknown reason, women are more susceptible to ACL injuries. ACL tears may be caused by contact or non-contact injuries. A blow to the side of the knee, like during a football tackle, may result in an ACL tear.
However, coming to a quick stop, combined with a directional change while running, pivoting, landing from a jump, or overextending the knee joint, can cause injury to the ACL. Sports like basketball, football, soccer, and skiing have regular occurrences of ACL tears.
Symptoms:
- Feeling or hearing a pop in the knee at the time of injury
- Pain on the outside and back of the knee
- The knee swelling within the first few hours of the injury
- Limited knee movement
- Knee wobbling, buckling, or giving out
When recovering from an ACL tear, knee physical therapy is often a patient’s first and best line of defense against injury exacerbation.
In addition to reducing pain, improving mobility, and stimulating the body’s natural healing process, knee physical therapy may reduce your chances of needed invasive corrective surgery.
Total Knee Replacement (TKR)
For the most serious injuries, total knee replacement (TKR) surgery is an option that can help relieve pain and restore function in the knee joint. During the operation, the surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage from your thighbone, shinbone, and kneecap and replaces it with an artificial joint (prosthesis).
More than 95 percent of people who receive a TKR experience significant pain relief, improved mobility, and a better overall quality of life (statistic data courtesy MayoClinic.com).
Symptoms that may lead one to consider a knee replacement:
- Knee pain that doesn’t respond to treatment (medication or therapy for six months or more)
- Pain that limits or prevents activities
- Inability to sleep through the night because of knee pain
- Arthritis of the knee
- Decreased knee function caused by arthritis
- Some tumors involving the knee
After receiving TKR surgery, it will to necessary to take part in a post-op rehabilitation program to improve your chances of healing without issue and to give you a chance to adjust to using your new, pain-free knee.
Find Relief From Knee Pain at Mid-County Physical Therapy
If you have trouble standing, walking, or bending due to chronic knee pain, it’s important that you get help as soon as possible. The longer you go without professional care, the worse your injury will get.
A treatment plan devised by a physical therapist can not only help you gain much-needed pain relief it may also help you avoid having to go under the knife for total knee replacement surgery.
If you have undergone an operation to correct injured knees, a physical therapist can also help heal quickly and correctly while also developing balance and coordination in a safe, controlled environment.
Whether you’re suffering from chronic knee pain or need help bouncing back after an injury-correcting surgery, the experienced and professional staff at Mid-County Physical Therapy can provide the assistance you need. Schedule an appointment with us today!