The knee joint has many components, therefore it is a complex joint. This makes it vulnerable to a variety of injuries. Some common knee injuries are sprains, ligament tears, fractures, and dislocations.
Some common signs of knee injuries are pain and swelling. Sometimes the knee may lock and cause instability.
Some common knee injuries are elaborated below.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries
The anterior cruciate ligament is mostly injured during sports activities. Therefore making it more common in athletes, especially those who participate in cutting and pivoting sports like soccer, football, and basketball.
ACL tears can happen while changing direction rapidly or landing from a jump incorrectly.
Most of the injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament occur along with damage to other structures in the knee, such as articular cartilage, meniscus, or other ligaments.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injuries
The posterior cruciate ligament gets injured due to blowing force to the front of the knee, while the knee is bent. This type of injury is usually seen in motor vehicle crashes and sports-related contact. Sometimes Posterior cruciate ligament tears are partial tears and have the potential to heal on their own.
Collateral Ligament Injuries
Collateral ligament injuries are often caused by contact injuries. These injuries are caused by a force that pushes the knee sideways.
Direct blow to the outside of the knee leading to Medial collateral ligament injuries. These are often sports-related.
The lateral collateral ligament occurs due to Blows to the inside of the knee that push the knee outwards. However, Lateral collateral ligament tears occur less frequently than other knee injuries.
Meniscal Tears
Acute meniscal tears are often caused during playing sports. There are chances of meniscal tears while twisting, cutting, pivoting, or being tackled.
Other conditions like arthritis or ageing can also cause a meniscal tear. Sometimes an awkward twist when getting up from a chair may also lead to a meniscal tear especially when menisci have become weak with age.
Tendon Tears
Tendon tears can happen at any age but they are more common among middle-aged people who are into sports like running or those involving jumping. Some common causes of tendon tears are falls, direct force to the front of the knee, and landing awkwardly from a jump
Fractures
Patella is the most common bone which gets fractured or broken around the knee. The knee joint can also get fractured. It is formed by the ends of the femur and tibia where they meet to form the knee joint.
Most fractures around the knee are caused by high-energy trauma like falls from significant heights and motor vehicle accidents.
Dislocation
A dislocation of the knee is said to happen when the bones of the knee are out of place. It can be either completely or partially.
Dislocations can be caused by an abnormality in the structure of a person's knee.
In people who have normal knee structure, dislocations are most often due to trauma caused by high-energy force, such as falls, motor vehicle accidents, and sports-related injuries.
Dr Jaya Krishna Reddy is an orthopaedic surgeon with a vast experience in his field. He specialises in joint replacement, arthroscopy and sports medicine.
For all your knee-related problems you can consult him for the best treatment.