Long Island Injury Lawyer

The Scope of Knee Injuries

Posted on 02. Feb, 2010 by Admin in Uncategorized

The knee is a very complex part of the anatomy with many moving parts. Because of this it is susceptible to many kinds of injury. Most knee injuries are caused by twisting and turning resulting in soft tissue damage. Direct blows to the knee are more often found in car accidents. It is always important to get a proper diagnosis of any pain you may be suffering in the knee. Correct diagnosis means you can proceed to the best treatment for your knee injury.

Some of the most common knee injuries are:

Cartilage or meniscus tears

This affects either the cartilage or the meniscus on either side. As well as pain and swelling typical symptoms include a popping or grinding sensation in the knee. If your knee ‘locks’ and can’t be straightened this is probably due to a cartilage tear.

Bursitis

This can be caused by overuse of the knee (most common in people who kneel a lot) or from a direct blow. Swelling over the kneecap and difficulty moving the knee are the main symptoms. This is the injury commonly known as ‘water on the knee’.

Patellar Tendonitis

This is a common injury in sports that involve jumping (volleyball, basketball and netball are examples). The main symptoms are pain directly over the patella tendon and pain when kneeling or jumping.

Chondromalacia patella – known as runner’s knee

This usually affects runners, due to the strain placed on the knee. Pain is felt just below the kneecap.

While there are other specific conditions that are caused by particular activities or other underlying medical conditions, those above are the most common ‘sports type’ knee injuries. Following initial treatment for knee injury players often need extra support for a long time afterwards as the knee is weakened. Many sportspeople find the same injury is repeated more easily unless support is used.

Ligament damage often occurs to the knee in car accidents. The knee hits another object and is twisted. Direct blow damage can also be caused by hitting the dashboard directly with the knee. Braces to support the knee are often needed and recovery can be slow and painful. Ligaments are also often damaged from falling down stairs, or slipping on wet surfaces.

Some minor knee injuries may not require seeing a doctor and will heal very quickly, but most need medical attention. You should always see a doctor if :

• Your knee swells up very suddenly
• You have any loss of sensation below the knee
• Your ankle or foot turns cold
• Any bones look deformed
• You can’t put weight on the leg
• There is a lot of pain

Air bags can help prevent knee injury from car accidents. To help prevent injury in sports it helps to stay fit and to be sure to warm up and warm down adequately.  Keeping paths and stairs clear, clean, and dry can minimize the risk of falls.

Related Resources: Searcy Law, Personal Injury Lawyers, Serving Tallahassee and All of Florida.

Tags: bursitis, florida knee injury attorney, knee swelling, ligament damage, runner's knee