A knee pain doctor in Reading, PA can treat patients who suffer from a variety of injuries to their knees, ranging from minor to severe. There are four different types of knee injuries: ligaments, cartilage, muscle, and kneecap injuries. Ligament and cartilage injuries are the most common.
What are knee ligament injuries?
The knee has four ligaments running through it. These ligaments work in pairs:
· The anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament provide stability to the knee. These ligaments also control forward and backward knee movements.
· The lateral and medial collateral ligaments provide stability for the sides of the knee.
Knee ligament injuries are usually caused by sudden or twisting movements. They can also occur if the knee suffers a forceful blow. The four ligament injuries are:
· ACL Injuries: These occur when the ACL gets overstretched and tears or ruptures.
· MCL Tears: These occur when there is damage to some or all of the fibers of the MCL which is located in the inner side of the knee
· PCL Injuries: Injury to the PCL are less common because the ligament is located inside the knee joint.
A person can also suffer from ligament sprains. This happens due to the overstretching of knee ligaments, causing fiber tearing. Ligament sprains are one of the most common knee ligament injuries.
What are knee cartilage injuries?
Damage to the cartilage of the knee is one of the most common knee injuries knee pain doctors treat. There are two types of cartilage that line the knee joint. Articular cartilage lines the bones. Meniscus cartilage is the second layer and provides special padding to help minimize and reduce the force on the bones of the knee. Meniscus tears are one of the most common and one of the most painful.
What are knee muscle injuries?
Muscle strains and injuries can also be very painful. When the muscles that surround the knee become too stretched, the fibers of the muscles can tear. These are called muscle strains. If a person who suffers a muscle strain rests the muscle, it usually only takes a few weeks to heal, however, if the person goes back to their usual routine or other strenuous activity too soon, they can cause more damage that requires more extensive treatment and longer recovery time. The two types of knee muscle injuries are calf strains and quads strains.
What are kneecap injuries?
Although kneecap injuries are not as common as the other injuries explained above, they are usually more serious, just because of the force necessary to injure the kneecap. The two most common are:
· Fractured kneecap (patella): When the bone of the kneecap breaks in two or more pieces
· Dislocated kneecap (patella): This happens when the kneecap gets pushed out of place.
To learn more about knee injuries and the treatments available, call an office today.
Thanks to Premier Osteoarthritis Center of Pennsylvania for their insight into knee injuries.