Learn more about knee injuries
Knee injuries are many and have various causes, and each has a specific way to deal with them to treat the problem once and for all. In the following article, we will learn rich information regarding this topic, so follow the next article with us to be fully informed about it.
knee injuries
Knee injuries are many and different, and many individuals are exposed to them throughout their daily lives, and we must learn about the types of injuries and their causes to be able to know how to deal with them, and here are some of these injuries:
- Bone fractures: The bones that surround the knee joint, any of them are susceptible to fracture as a result of an injury or a strong collision, and this may occur as a result of osteoporosis that causes fractures with any wrong movement that the individual may make.
- Knee strain: This injury occurs as a result of overuse of the knee joint and excessive flexion and extension, and this results in elongation of the muscles and tendons that surround the knee joint, and this results in severe pain and the inability to move the knee joint as effectively as it was before.
- Rupture of the meniscus of the knee: There are two cartilages in the knee joint in a semicircular shape, and their function is to absorb shocks and facilitate the sanctity of the bones at the joint, and when any of these cartilages are exposed to injury, a sound resembling a pop is emitted, and this is evidence of the occurrence of rupture, and this is accompanied by severe pain, swelling, and redness in the area of the skin that surrounds the knee, and this is associated with increasing age as a result of excessive use of the knee joint.
- Dislocation of the knee joint: This injury occurs as a result of a major accident or a strong collision and is more common among athletes or during traffic accidents. Although this injury is rare, it is of a high degree of danger because it causes much damage to all parts and components of the knee joint, including blood vessels and nerves, and this injury requires immediate medical intervention to control the situation.
- Inflammation of the knee bursa: The knee bursa is a sac that is filled with a lot of fluid and is around the joint, and this inflammation occurs as a result of frequent use of the knee joint in the wrong way and bending it exaggeratedly, or through infection, and there are two pods at the top of the knee at the kneecap and below it at the shin.
Knee pain from behind
Many causes may lead to knee pain from the back, such as:
- Arthritis: It is characterized in many ways and there are many forms of it, and it does not only affect the elderly, but it may happen to individuals in any of their life stages.
- Knee hamstring injury: It is one of the most common causes of pain behind the knee, and this injury causes stiffness in the knee and difficulty in moving it greatly, and it occurs as a result of overuse of the knee joint.
- Knee sprain: This may occur as a result of making sudden movements without doing some warm-up exercises before that, and this injury is accompanied by severe pain and swelling in the knee area.
- There are cysts behind the knee: they are cysts that are exposed to very severe infections, and they resemble a water balloon, and their pain is similar to a cut behind the knee.
- Posterior cartilage: It is also called a herniated disc, and the pain increases when moving or during daily normal activities, and this causes pain behind the knee.
- Tendonitis: This occurs as a result of excessive exercise such as cycling, and this results in severe pain in the area behind the knee.
Pain in the groin above the knee from behind
When suffering from pain in the thigh above the knee from the back, the patient must get plenty of rest at the beginning and avoid pressure on it in any way, it is also possible to take some painkillers to reduce the severity of the pain, and it may go as far as prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs in cases of necessity, and this matter should not be ignored, as some serious cases require immediate intervention because they may cause a stroke or stroke.
After two days of complete rest and plenty of relaxation, it is possible to start practicing some light sports or doing physiotherapy exercises, but any excessive effort or lifting heavy weights should be avoided, and if the pain is mild, these therapeutic methods can be followed to get rid of the pain permanently:
- Heat: applying some warm water compresses to the area of pain improves blood circulation, which helps food and blood reach the injury area well and enhances the healing process, but it is better to be careful to avoid burns.
- Ice: Cold compresses reduce inflammation and swelling, and this is repeated more than once a day for a period of 10 to 20 minutes.
- Physiotherapy and Chiropractic: This is very good at treating pain that results from a pinched nerve and helps to restore the ability to move normally.
- Acupuncture and Massage Therapy: Acupuncture may be useful for many people in getting rid of pain in the groin area, and massage has a major role in improving blood circulation in the affected area and relieving muscle sprain and tension.
Knee ligaments torn
When a rupture of the knee ligaments occurs, it results in inflammation of the knee ligaments, and this is accompanied by many symptoms, such as:
- The presence of severe pain surrounds the joint.
- Significant swelling and swelling in the affected knee.
- The appearance of some blue bruises on the skin of the affected leg.
- Inability to move the affected joint well.
- A popping sound immediately after the injury.
- Loss of ability to balance.
Knee ligament relaxation treatment
- Work on tying the knee with a supportive ligament and tightening pressure on it to ensure that the knee joint remains stable in its place.
- Avoid pressure on the knee in any way and use a crutch when disturbed to walk.
- Doing some physiotherapy exercises to strengthen the muscles and tendons, but must be done under the supervision of a specialist doctor to avoid any mistakes.
- Complete rest and apply cold compresses on the affected knee to calm swelling and relieve pain.
- Take some over-the-counter pain relievers when the pain intensifies.
Knee sprain
The exposure of any of the ligaments that stabilize the knee to injury affects the knee joint clearly because its primary task lies in maintaining its stability, and these injuries are in the anterior cruciate ligament or the posterior cruciate ligament, and the knee sprain is classified according to the severity of the injury to which the individual may be exposed to the following:
- First-degree sprain: This is due to a stretching of the ligaments in the knee, which results in very severe pain, but the formation of the ligament is the same without tearing or instability in the joint.
- Second-degree sprain: This is when a partial tear occurs in the ligament tissue and there is instability in the knee joint but to a mild degree.
- Third-degree sprain: This occurs as a result of a total tear in the ligament and the knee joint becomes completely unstable.
Knee sprain treatment
The method of treating a knee sprain varies according to the severity of the injury that the individual may have suffered, and here is the appropriate way to deal with simple and severe cases.
Simple sprain treatment
- Rest: It is better for the patient to get plenty of rest and avoid pressure on the knee joint in any way throughout the treatment period and to use a crutch when necessary while taking care to raise the foot above the rest of the body to relieve tension.
- Knee stabilizer: Care must be taken to wear knee braces to ensure that it is firmly in place to ensure that no serious complications occur.
- Analgesics: Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are taken to relieve symptoms, but care must be taken to adhere to the exact doses prescribed by the doctor.
- Topical ointments: Applying creams prescribed by the doctor will play a major role in relieving swelling and reducing the resulting pain.
- Making cold compresses: Persistently apply ice packs on the affected knee to calm the inflammation and reduce the severity of the pain, while making sure to repeat this more than once a day.
- Massage: Care should be taken to make some light movements that help to relax and relax the joints, which reduces the pain resulting from them, and this should be done under the supervision of a specialist doctor to avoid any wrong movements.
Severe sprain treatment
If the injury was severe and none of the other treatment methods worked for it, then it is preferable to resort to surgical intervention immediately and adhere to the subsequent physiotherapy sessions and medication doses determined by the doctor.
What do you do when a knee sprain?
- Be sure to take plenty of rest and avoid putting pressure on the injured foot in any way.
- Keep the feet higher than the rest of the body when sitting or lying down.
- Wearing a knee brace limits knee movement and prevent any serious complications.
- In the event of severe pain, some painkillers can be taken.
- Apply cold compresses to the affected knee for 20 minutes, up to 4 times a day.
- Do some light movements and massage the injured knee, as this helps to greatly relax the muscles.
How long does it take to recover from a knee sprain?
If the sprain that the individual has suffered is very severe, then the treatment period may take 6 weeks or more than that in some cases, and the individual during that period must adhere to the doctor’s instructions very well, but if the treatment does not help improve over time then This situation may require immediate surgical intervention.
Knee strengthening exercises
Focusing on exercises aimed at strengthening the knee and thigh has a very big role in getting rid of knee pain and the many problems that surround it, here are some exercises that are very beneficial for the knee:
Foot lift exercise
This exercise focuses on the front thigh muscles and the knee, in addition to the stomach muscles, and it is done by following these steps:
- Lie on your back.
- Keep the left foot extended while bending the other foot.
- Suck the abdomen inward in order to keep the back straight on the floor with the hands aside.
- Raise the left foot to the top, provided that it does not exceed the bent foot.
- Keep the foot lifted for a while before lowering it slowly.
- Repeat these steps on one foot up to three times.
Hamstring exercise
This exercise focuses on strengthening the knee and thigh muscles, especially the posterior thigh muscle, and it is done by following these steps:
- Stand up straight with your knees slightly apart.
- Bend one foot backward at an angle of 90 degrees.
- Hold this position for a few seconds.
- Repeat this exercise with the other foot.
Squat exercise
This exercise strengthens the thigh and knee muscles without causing any pressure on the knee area, and it is done by following these steps:
- Stand up to prepare to perform a squat exercise, making sure that the feet are shoulder-width apart while keeping the hands on the buttocks or towards the front.
- Lower your buttocks slightly downward.
- Hold this position for a few seconds.
- Return to the first position and repeat this exercise again.
Foot extension exercise
This exercise strengthens the muscles of the thigh and knee, and it can be done by following these steps:
- Sit on a chair.
- Place your feet flat on the ground, keeping them hip-width apart.
- Bend one foot while lifting the other straight.
- Hold this position for a few seconds.
- Repeat these steps more than once on both feet.