Knee Injuries – Sprains, Ligament & Tendon Tears, Meniscus Tears And Fractures

meniscus imageThe knee is the largest joint in the body. It is the area where the femur, tibia, fibula and patella (knee cap) meet to form your knee-joint. You also have ligaments, tendons, articular cartilage and two discs (menisci) that combine to form the knee-joint. Trauma to the knee-joint in the form of a blow to the knee, abnormal twisting or bending and falling on the knee can all cause a knee injury. Injury is the most common cause of a knee problem. When you are in a car crash, a slip and fall, a trip or a battery your knee is potentially subject to they type of trauma that can result in serious knee injuries. You may have torn a ligament or tendon in the knee. A blow or fall on the knee may have caused a tear to your medial or lateral meniscus. You may have fractured any one of the bones in the knee-joint. The car crash or the fall may have caused a sprain (stretching or tearing of the ligaments) or a strain (tearing or stretching of the muscles and tendons). The best policy is to see a doctor and have you knee examined. The doctor may refer you for an MRI which will detect injuries and damage to your knee-joint that the doctor may not be able to determine with a physical exam and orthopedic testing of your knee-joint. Many times a tear in one or both of the menisci of a knee will require an arthroscopic surgery to repair the tear by cutting away a portion of the meniscus and cleaning the joint. Or you may need a course of physical therapy and care to allow the tendons and ligaments to heal. If you don’t address a knee injury after trauma to your knee, then you may have to deal with months or years of knee problems. Do something good for yourself and get your knee checked out.