Have a sore knee? Whether you woke up in pain today or have been dealing with chronic knee problems, a few simple things can make a world of difference in your ability to deal with knee injuries.
So, put your feet up and let’s look at some of the most common knee injuries and what you can do to treat them. We’ll hear what the experts have to say about prevention, treatment, and long-term care of your knees so you can feel better sooner. This is your complete guide to common knee injuries, and how to identify, treat, and prevent them.
What Are The Three Most Common Knee Injuries?
While it can be tough to pinpoint the exact pain in your knee and understand what’s causing it, there are a few common types of knee injuries that’ll help guide you.
Ligament Injuries
Knee ligament injuries are often caused by high-impact sports activities. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are caused by a sudden change in direction or getting an intense impact from an unusual angle. This is common in sports where you might take a direct hit to the front or sides of your knees.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) and Collateral Ligament (CL) injuries are often a result of car accidents or other high-impact events that cause a direct blow to your knee.
Dislocation and Fractures
Falls are a common cause of fractures, and it’s common to see a ligament injury alongside a fracture. Dislocations can be caused by an abnormality in your bone structure as well as a fall or accident.
Worn Out and Torn Cartilage
Worn-out and torn cartilage are common knee injuries for runners and other athletes. More often than not, the tear occurs in the meniscus.
How Do I Know If My Knee Injury Is Serious?
According to guidelines from the Mayo Clinic, you’ll want to schedule a doctor’s visit if you’re dealing with any of the following issues:
- Redness on and around your knee
- Highly visible swelling
- Warmth around your knee
- Pain that affects your daily routine and/or your sleep
- Fever
When Is Knee Pain an Emergency?
Certain knee injuries can’t wait for a scheduled appointment. It’s crucial to look for a chiropractor or orthopaedic if you’re dealing with any of the following issues:
- Deformity in your knee
- Popping sound during your injury
- Can’t put any weight on your knee
- Locked knee (can’t be bent or straightened)
- Sharp and severe pain
- Sudden swelling
How Long Does a Knee Injury Take to Heal?
Recovering from a knee injury comes down to both the severity and your dedication to aftercare. If you’re dealing with minor pain, simply spending a day or two off your feet may be all that is necessary. If the pain remains after two days, it’s time to check with a doctor.
If you have a minor soft tissue injury, you might be looking at a couple of months of rehabilitation while severe knee injuries can take up to a full year to heal.
What Are the Six Symptoms of a Knee Injury?
According to Singapore Paincare, there are a few key symptoms of a knee injury.
- Popping sound
- Knee won’t fully straighten
- Redness and warmth
- Discomfort that ranges from weakness to stiffness
- Pain (note if it hurts even when at rest)
- Knee buckling/ giving way
As with all injuries, it’s crucial to trust your instincts. If you feel like something is wrong, it probably is. If you suspect it might be serious, go directly to emergency care. Your doctor will conduct an X-ray or MRI to determine the underlying issue.
How Can I Exercise with an Injured Knee?
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for an injured knee. It will help reduce stiffness, improve your range of motion, and strengthen the muscles. Building up those muscles and burning fats is fundamental to preventing further injury and it will help you stay fit in general. If you’re overweight, exercise is particularly important because losing weight will take the load off your knees and prevent issues down the line.
The most important rule to exercising with a sore knee is to take it slow and steady. Learn the correct forms and never rush. Whether it’s a personal trainer or an online video, it’s crucial to take the time to fully understand the correct form.
You can refer to this video by Ray of Health if you’re experiencing knee ligament tear, meniscus tear and patella injuries.
Should You Exercise with a Knee Injury?
While working out is probably the last thing you feel like doing when your knee is already sore, it’s also the most useful thing you can do. According to research from Harvard Medical School, exercising is the single best thing that you can do for both the short-term and long-term health of your knee.
There are exceptions to the rules though. It’s crucial to avoid workouts if you are experiencing any of the following:
- Fever
- Pain that is not improving with time
- Pain that gets worse with activity
- Pain that wakes you up at night
What Is the Best Thing to Do for a Knee Injury?
If you’re in too much pain to exercise, look to RICE. This combination of rest, ice, compression, and elevation is fundamental to healing knee injuries and managing arthritic knee pain. You can also look into Ice and heat treatment as an alternative.
What Are Three Exercises to Strengthen Your Knee?
Strength and flexibility create the foundation of healthy knees. To prevent knee injuries, it’s important to stay active.
Start by focusing on strength. A simple warm-up will go a long way in preventing injuries and muscle cramps. When your muscles are tight, your knee joint is constricted and more likely to get hurt. Likewise, cooling down after exercise is a smart way to prevent soreness and keep your muscles elastic. Getting into the habit of regular daily stretching is one of the best things you can do for your long-term health.
Once you’re stretched and ready, it’s time to focus on building muscles. The quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves create the support for your knees and they’ll be there to prevent injury. Your gluteal muscles, quadriceps, and hamstring are also important in keeping your knees agile and injury-free. Every part of your body is connected to another so full-body fitness is the long-term key. That said, there are three key workouts that you’ll want to make part of our routine for strong knees.
Exercise 1: Standing Knee Flexion
The standing knee flexion is a workout that you can do nearly anytime, anywhere so spend the time to properly learn the move and make this part of your daily routine.
Exercise 2: Heel and Calf Raises
There are a few variations of this easy and essential workout. You can start by simply improving your range of motion, as seen here.
As you build up your knee strength, advance to raising your heels on the stairs like this.
Exercise 3: Wall Squats
Another great way to build strength in your knees is with wall squats. They are an easy, no-equipment-needed way to work out for healthy knees.
You can also look into workout sessions such as HIIT, F45, pilates and yoga. Keep this guide handy so that you know how to treat a knee injury, and share it with your friends to help them create a long-term plan for knee health. While dealing with a knee injury is not easy, that is all the more reason to make your health and well-being a priority to prevent future injuries.
Having Persistent Knee Pain Issues? Consult an Orthopaedic Doctor in Singapore Today.
If you’re suffering from knee pain, it is good to know the difference between a chiropractor, osteopath and physiotherapist, and the difference between physiotherapy and orthopaedic surgery to find the ideal treatment plan for yourself.
Ready to get checked out and start on a path to eliminating pain? To get started, you can book an appointment online with our orthopaedic doctor in Singapore. Prefer to chat? Message us on WhatsApp at +65 8028 4572 or call us at +65 6235 8781 or via email hello@quantumortho.com.sg.
If you’d like to find us directly, visit one of our clinics below:
Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre
3 Mount Elizabeth, #13-14
Singapore 228510
Mount Alvernia Hospital
820 Thomson Road
Medical Centre D #05-60
Singapore 574623
Check out our other articles:
- How to Improve Shoulder Mobility for Relief?
- Differentiating Neck and Shoulder Pain
- How to Manage Work-From-Home Aches and Pains
