Knee injuries generally occur because of a muscle imbalance or weakness in the lower limbs and poor preparation for sporting activities.
Knee injuries are becoming increasingly common amongst active people. Accidents cannot be avoided but the majority of injuries occur due to weakness and poor preparation for an event or sports.
Common knee injuries include:
- Ligaments sprains and tears – Anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligamentm medial collateral ligament and lateral collateral ligament.
- Meniscus injuries – Injuries of two small cushions within the knee joint (could be tear or contusion).
- Osteoarthritis (OA) – Wear and tear in the knee joint which cause inflammation and pain.
- Patella-femoral (anterior knee) pain syndrome – Mechanical pain that is not caused by any significant damage to the structures in the knee such as ligaments, tendons and bone.
- Iliotibial band friction syndrome – Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is the result of inflammation and irritation of the iliotibial tendon as it rubs against the bone at the outer part of the hip or knee. It commonly causes knee pain in the long distance runners.
Knee injuries could be managed by:
- Injection
- Physiotherapy
- Knee Surgery
Aims of the treatments include:
- Reduce pain and swelling
- Improve functional range of movement
- Improve muscular strength, balance and proprioception of the affected limb, and integrating into full-body conditioning training
- Help in gait re-eduction
- Allow safe and efficient return to sport and acitivity
