How did I get a knee injury?
Your knee is a hinge joint that must hold and distribute most of your body weight when you engage in activities such as walking, running, and jumping.
You can get a knee injury if you:
- Stop suddenly
- Twist your knee
- Land “wrong” in a jump or step
- Fall on your knee
- Are involved in a collision
Bending and flexing your knee repeatedly for work, sports, or dance can degrade the protective cartilage in your joints, leading to osteoarthritis.
What are the different types of knee injuries?
When you hurt your knee, many different structures and tissues could be injured. Your knee injury could involve:
- Torn or stretched anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
- Torn or stretched meniscus cartilage
- Strained muscles or tendons
- Sprained ligaments
- Bone fractures
- Bone dislocations
- Cartilage fragments called loose bodies
As soon as you injure your knee, you should institute the RICE protocol, which consists of resting your knee, icing the swollen area, compressing the knee with an ACE bandage, and elevating the knee.
When should my knee injury be treated by a doctor?
If you heard a popping sound when you were injured, or if you have severe pain or swelling or can’t move your knee, contact Orthopaedics of Atlanta and Aesthetic Institute immediately. If you have minor pain, but it doesn’t improve after a few days of RICE or it gets worse, contact Dr. Absi.
How do orthopedists treat knee injuries?
Dr. Absi evaluates your knee injury and takes a digital X-ray and other types of images. Based on his findings, he custom designs a treatment plan, which could include:
- Joint injections
- Physical therapy
- Fracture repair and stabilization
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair
- Meniscus repair
If you’ve severely damaged your knee joint, he may recommend arthroscopic knee replacement.
What is an arthroscopic knee replacement?
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery that’s performed through tiny incisions with the aid of a miniature camera. Dr. Absi first removes damaged cartilage and bone from your joint and resurfaces the ends of your thigh and shin bones.
He places metal implants on the resurfaced bones and inserts a plastic spacer to take the place of cartilage. He may also resurface your knee cap. You may need to stay in the hospital for up to four days and require physical therapy to strengthen your knee afterward.
To treat your knee injury, contact Orthopaedics of Atlanta and Aesthetic Institute today by phone or through the online form.
