Knee Injury Treatment in Glendale, CA
The knee is the largest joint in the body and one of the most easily injured. Your knee is complex with many components including ligaments, bones, cartilage, and tendons. All of these elements work together to give your knee great mobility and functionality.
Dr. Ryan Morgan provides comprehensive testing and treatment for all types of knee injuries in Glendale, CA. Dr. Morgan treats common conditions such as sprains and strains, as well as more complex injuries such as ACL and MCL tears. Learn more about knee injuries and call (818) 863-4446 to schedule your appointment with Adventist Orthopedics today!
What are Common Knee Injuries?
In many cases, injuries involve more than one structure in the knee. Knee injuries can result from a sudden incident, overuse, or trauma.
Conditions Treated and Procedures Performed at Adventist Orthopedics
The most common knee injuries include sprains and tears of soft tissues like ligaments or meniscus. Fractures and dislocation can also be common.
How do Knee Injuries Happen?
Knee injuries often happen suddenly during physical activity. Because the knee is a weigh bearing joint, it undergoes a lot of stress when you are performing athletic activities. In other cases, a knee injury can develop slowly over time. The daily use of your knees to walk, run, bend over, among other things, can take a toll on your joints over a lifetime. This can make it painful to complete daily activities.
What are Signs of a Knee Injury?
If you injure your knee, you may feel pain or swelling. These are the most common signs of a knee injury. You may also feel your knee lock or cause instability. You will often limp and be unable to walk.
If you feel a sudden pop or cannot move your knee, seek help right away.
What are Treatment Options for Knee Injuries?
Many knee injuries can be successfully treated with simple measures, such as bracing and rehabilitation exercises. Other injuries may require surgery to correct.
The type of treatment Dr. Morgan recommends will depend on several factors, such as the severity of your injury, and your age, general health, and activity level.
RICE Protocol
A common treatment protocol for knee injuries can help in recovery:
- Rest – Avoid putting weight on the painful knee
- Ice – Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, but not directly on the skin
- Compression – Lightly wrap the injured area in a soft bandage or ace wrap to help with pain and reduce swelling
- Elevation – When resting, elevate the injured knee higher than your heart to help with circulation and swelling
Nonsurgical Options
- Physical therapy – Your provider may recommend exercises to restore function to your knee and strengthen supporting muscles
- Knee brace – You may need to immobile your knee with a support brace and crutches to give your knee time to heal
- Anti-inflammatory medications -Your provider may recommend drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen reduce pain and swelling
Surgical Options
- Minimally-invasive surgery – Some knee surgeries can be performed using miniature instruments and small incisions to help speed up recovery time
- Traditional surgery – Many fractures and injuries around the knee require surgery to fully restore function to your leg
Trust Adventist Orthopedics With Your Knee Repair
Adventist Orthopedics knows how important it is for you to get back in the game or back to doing your daily activities. Call (818) 863-4446 to schedule your knee injury consultation today!