The anatomy of the knee involves a lot of different tissues working together to move in a stable fashion. Among these include bones, cartilage, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. With each, comes the potential for damage, particularly if there is some form of trauma to the area.

Common Injuries

• Fractures- a break or crack in bone
• Dislocation- irregular placement in a joint due to a disturbance
• Ligament tears- sprain or rip in ligaments
• Tendon tears- sprain or rip in tendons

Symptoms of an injury
Some signs that the knee may have suffered one of the previous injuries include pain, swelling, and bruising, as well as immobility or a lack of stability- feeling as though your knee is ‘giving out’ on you. If you are experiencing any of these, or if you heard a popping noise during the trauma, seek treatment as soon as possible. Until you can get treatment, follow the RICE method. RICE is an acronym for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This will keep you from doing any more harm and help relieve the pressure from the injury.

Treatment Options
An orthopedic doctor will be able to assess your injury through a series of tests and scans to get a comprehensive idea of your case. From there, a variety of treatment methods, surgical or non-surgical, will be recommended.

• Non-surgical- Often used as a first line of treatment unless the damage is severe, the treatment plan will likely involve a combination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, like ibuprofen and aspirin, immobilization through a cast or brace, and or physical therapy sessions, steroid injections and stem cells.
• Surgical- Some injuries must undergo an operation to get back full function and mobility of the knee. These are often routine procedures and, if we suggest it, we are happy to discuss the process at length.

If you’ve recently experienced an injury to your knee, it’s imperative to begin the rejuvenation process as quickly as possible. Give us a call today at 352-751-2862 to schedule your appointment and get back on the path to recovery.