Knee

LOWER LIMB

Knee Fracture

Your knee joint is located between lower end thigh bone, knee cap, and the upper end of shin bone – femur, tibia, and patella respectively. The fractures can involve injury of the upper end of tibia, the lower end of the femur, or patella. These are mostly associated with meniscus tears and ligament injuries, such as ACL, MCL, PCL, LCL, etc. It occurs when a person gets a direct blow to these bones or falls down on the knees directly with force. The knee cap may crack or even break into pieces with the fall.

According to orthopedists, immediate medical attention is crucial in case of knee fractures.

Knee Dislocation

A knee dislocates when the three bones forming it falls out of alignment. It can be a situation when the knee structure is abnormal. In some infants, knee dislocation shows up with birth, called congenital dislocation, while in adults the condition is mostly a result of a traumatic event that thrusts the knee joint out of position. It is an extremely painful condition that needs emergency treatment under the supervision of an orthopedist.

In a dislocated knee, your shin and thigh bones may get partially or completely out of position. A dislocated knee is not the same as a dislocated knee cap – the latter is called a patellar subluxation.

Meniscus Tears

Meniscus tears can be debilitating and painful like several other knee injuries It occurs mostly in people playing contact sports like football, cricket, etc. The meniscus is a piece of cartilage present in your knee that balances and supports the knee joint. The cartilage protects the knee bones against wear and tear. However, a sudden twist of the knee may cause a meniscus tear. There are cases of meniscus tears where the shredded cartilage piece tears away and gets caught in the knee up, locking it up.

Older athletes are at greater risk of meniscus tears, and most patients are above the age of 65.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that causes wearing away of the cartilage in between the joint. With the diminishing cartilage between the joints, the connecting bones start rubbing against each other causing pain, stiffness, swelling, and inability of joint movement and may also form bone spurs. Osteoarthritis can affect any joints, such as the knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, etc. Knee osteoarthritis can also be seen in young people and can be a result of hereditary, or an infection or injury of the knee.

To diagnose any symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, you must see an orthopedic specialist soon before the condition worsens.

ACL Tears

An ACL or Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear is one of the most common knee injuries caused to sportsperson. It is a sprain or tear of the ACL, a significant knee ligament. You may encounter ACL tears if you are into sports that involve jumping, landing sudden changes in direction or stop, such as basketball, soccer, downhill skiing, and football. You will hear a pop in the knee during an ACL tear. Severe ACL tears require quick treatment that includes proper rest and rehabilitation to regain stability and strength.

If the conventional methods fail to work for the injury, you may need to undergo surgery.

PCL Tears

PCL tear or Posterior Cruciate Ligament tear is a condition that leads to the damage or wearing away of the PCL in your knee. The posterior cruciate ligament is the same as the anterior cruciate ligament that connects the shin bone (tibia) and thigh bone (femur). Even though the PCL is stronger and larger than the ACL, it can tear. PCL tears or injury can damage the other cartilage or ligaments in your knee. It can also break a piece of the underlying bone in serious cases.

PCL tears constitute for only 20% of knee ligament injuries though. You should see an orthopedist for instant healing.