Menu
Knee Injuries
Care for Knee Injuries in Portland, OR, Bellevue, WA, and Tempe, AZ
Injury to the knee can occur while playing sports, during work, or as the result of a car accident or a fall. Sometimes an injury can occur while doing something simple, such as twisting or squatting down to pick something up. Knee injuries include any kind of trauma that affects the knee joint or the surrounding tissues. Even if a knee injury doesn’t seem serious, it’s important to know when an evaluation by a medical professional is warranted. Putting off seeking treatment can sometimes lead to a lengthy recovery or more complications down the road.
At Reflex Knee Specialists, our medical team is dedicated to helping each patient recover from knee injuries with personalized treatment plans and innovative therapies. With locations in Oregon, Washington, and Arizona, we offer a wide range of non-surgical treatment options for knee injuries. Learn more about common knee injuries, how they’re diagnosed, and available treatment options.
Contact Us
Causes of Knee Injuries
The knee is the body’s largest joint and is made up of bones, cartilage, tendons, menisci, and ligaments. Common knee injuries include:
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury
The ACL is a commonly-injured ligament inside the joint that helps to stabilize the knee. This type of knee injury often happens while playing sports. Quickly changing directions or landing incorrectly from a jump can damage or tear the ACL.
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury
The MCL is the ligament that stabilizes the inside (medial) aspect of the knee joint. MCL injuries are often caused by a direct hit to the side of the knee. Patients who play contact sports are at higher risk of tearing or straining this ligament.
Patellar Tendinitis
This condition develops when the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia), becomes inflamed. It often develops as a repetitive stress injury. Repeated jumping and sprinting motions can cause this type of tendinitis.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Commonly known as runner’s knee, this is an injury related to running or other activities that involve repetitive flexion and extension of the knee. It can be caused by tight or weak muscles, improper form, or excessive strain on the knee joint. A patient may also develop patellofemoral pain syndrome if they previously had knee surgery.
Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury
The LCL is located on the outside (lateral) part of the knee joint. While LCL injuries are less common than ACL or MCL tears, they can have similar symptoms. LCL sprains or tears can happen during contact sports, like football.
Torn Meniscus
The meniscus is a donut-shaped piece of cartilage that serves as a shock-absorbing cushion between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). It helps stabilize the knee and dissipates load forces across the joint. If a person quickly pivots or forcefully twists at the knee, they may tear their meniscus.
Knee Injury Symptoms
Symptoms will vary by injury type but generally include pain, swelling, and tenderness around the knee joint. Sometimes a loud pop is heard, especially with an ACL or meniscus tear. Ligament tears or a torn meniscus might result in:
- Pain
- Loss of range of motion
- Instability and difficulty bearing weight on the knee
Patients with runner’s knee often find their knee pain worsens if they sit for extended periods, while patients with patellar tendinitis often have pain when bending or straightening the affected leg.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Knee injuries are diagnosed with a physical examination, along with reviewing the following information with the patient:
- How the injury happened
- Current symptoms and their severity
- When symptoms began
- Medical history and other underlying health conditions
When being evaluated by a provider at Reflex Knee Specialists, a diagnostic ultrasound will be performed to assess the injury and identify the specific source of pain.
Treatment options will depend on a variety of factors, including the patient’s age, lifestyle, and type of injury. The providers at Reflex Knee Specialists may recommend treatments that include:
Rest
Resting the joint and avoiding strenuous activity can help it heal.
Bracing
A knee brace can take some weight off the injured area and help stabilize the joint.
Joint Fluid Therapy
Joint fluid therapy, or viscosupplementation, is an injection of hyaluronic acid that helps lubricate the knee joint and reduce pain and inflammation.
Ozone Joint Therapy
Ozone joint therapy is another type of injection treatment often used in combination with PRP therapy or viscosupplementation. Ozone gas is injected into the knee joint with ultrasound guidance to help mitigate pain and swelling.
Physical Therapy
A physical therapist can offer specialized, knee-focused rehabilitation. They can also recommend knee rehabilitation exercises that the patient can continue using after their course of physical therapy is complete.
If conservative treatment options are not effective at providing long-term relief, a patient may need additional imaging, such as an MRI, to provide more information about the injury. Most knee injuries do not require surgery, and should be considered a last resort after conservative treatments have been exhausted.
When to See a Doctor
A knee injury should not keep patients from normal activities. Any patient who has experienced a knee injury should consider making an appointment with someone who specializes in knee injuries. It is especially important to see a doctor if a knee injury has resulted in:
- Significant pain or swelling
- Tenderness or warmth around the knee joint
- Loss of range of motion
- Inability to put weight on the joint
- Instability