Types of knee injuries

Types of knee injuries

Acute injuries: Result from a sudden trauma, such as an awkward
fall, collision or twist of the knee joint.
Overuse injuries: Result from continuous activity or overload,
such as running, jumping, cycling, weight training or bush walking.
These start gradually and usually relate to a range of factors such
as structural or biomechanical problems , training methods,
footwear, technique or running style.


ACUTE INJURIES
The ligaments and menisci (cartilage) of the knee may be injured.
Ligament sprain (or tear): Ligaments stabilize or strengthen
joints. Over-stretching can cause tears to the ligament fibers, resulting
in pain, swelling, loss of movement and giving way (instability).
Cartilage (meniscal) tears: The knee cartilages (or menisci)
also provide stability to the knee joint. They are mostly torn during
weight-bearing activities that involve twisting and turning. A torn
cartilage (or meniscus) results in pain, swelling and locking or
catching of the joint.
Management tips: Many injuries may be successfully treated
without surgery by physiotherapy treatment and supervised
rehabilitation. If damage is severe, surgery may be required.
Physiotherapists work closely with medical practitioners, sports
physicians and orthopaedic surgeons to assist recovery
and rehabilitation.


Overuse injuries

These are much more common than acute injuries, and usually
affect the patello-femoral joint or patellar tendon. If left untreated
they often get progressively worse. Early diagnosis and treatment
may result in a quicker recovery, and less pain.
Patello-femoral syndrome: Patello-femoral (or kneecap) pain
affects approximately 20% of the Australian population, and is associated with
activities such as bending, squatting or stair climbing.
Patellar tendinopathy: The patellar tendon joins the thigh
muscles to the leg bone. Injury to this tendon may be known as
‘jumper’s knee’, because it commonly occurs with repeated jumping
and landing activities (basketball, volleyball etc).
Management tips: Physiotherapy treatment is essential to
reduce the pain and disability associated with overuse knee injuries.
In addition, Physiotherapists are well trained to address potential
aggravating factors that may have contributed to the development
of the overuse injury.



References:


AUSTRALIAN PHYSIOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION brochures