It Can Help Reduce Low Back Pain
The transverse abdominis is one of the major muscles that helps to provide stability to your lower back â and strengthening it can help improve low back strain and pain, according to December 2019 research in theâ Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation.â
Another way the move helps support your back is through the combo of diaphragmatic breathing and core strengthening work.
“It’s a really great step in learning how to coordinate your breath with core control,” Malek says. “While lacking this may not âalwaysâ result in back pain, it can play a role in core efficiency and stability of the trunk and pelvis.”
What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor
- Will I need any imaging tests?
- Do I have an ACL or PCL tear?
- How long should I rest and avoid sports and other physical activity?
- Will I need surgery?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
How much time will I miss? Is this a serious injury? Am I done for the season?
These are all questions that run through your mind when you hyperextend your knee. Fortunately, most hyperextended knees dont require surgery, and youll be able to recover at home with over-the-counter treatments and by giving your body time to rest and heal.
If you do experience a more severe injury like a ligament tear you should still make a full recovery and get back to the sports and activities you love.
Articles On Knee Pain
You can do many things to help knee pain, whether it’s due to a recent injury or arthritis you’ve had for years.
Follow these 11 dos and donâts to help your knees feel their best.
Donât rest too much. Too much rest can weaken your muscles, which can worsen joint pain. Find an exercise program that is safe for your knees and stick with it. If you’re not sure which motions are safe or how much you can do, talk with your doctor or a physical therapist.
Do exercise. Cardio exercises strengthen the muscles that support your knee and increase flexibility. Weight training and stretching do, too. For cardio, some good choices include walking, swimming, water aerobics, stationary cycling, and elliptical machines. Tai chi may also help ease stiffness and improve balance.
Donât risk a fall. A painful or unstable knee can make a fall more likely, which can cause more knee damage. Curb your risk of falling by making sure your home is well lit, using handrails on staircases, and using a sturdy ladder or foot stool if you need to reach something from a high shelf.
Do use “RICE.” Rest, ice, compression, and elevation is good for knee pain caused by a minor injury or an arthritis flare. Give your knee some rest, apply ice to reduce swelling, wear a compressive bandage, and keep your knee elevated.
Don’t overlook your weight. If you’re overweight, losing weight reduces the stress on your knee. You donât even need to get to your “ideal” weight. Smaller changes still make a difference.
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When To See A Doctor
If you have any pain along with these symptoms, have a doctor look at your knee as soon as possible. Doing so may prevent a more serious knee injury including anterior cruciate ligament injuries. They affect between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans each year.
Even if the knee popping isn’t painful, you may still want to have it checked out. In some cases, it may be an early warning sign of an overuse injury. This may require weight loss, a change of footwear, or knee-strengthening exercises to protect the joint.
The best treatments are targeted directly at the specific problem that is causing the abnormal popping or snapping inside the knee joint. You can ease crepitus and tendon problems with treatments to reduce inflammation in the knee joint, such as rest and anti-inflammatory medications.
Most mechanical problems are best treated with arthroscopic knee surgery. This is a procedure in which a camera and tools are passed through small incisions into the joint to repair any damage.
Treatment For A Wobbly Knee
Treating an unstable knee joint means first pinpointing the cause and severity of the injury. Many knee injuries can be treated conservatively with the RICE method , nonsteroidal pain medications, and physical therapy to strengthen the muscles that support the knee, such as the quadriceps and hamstrings. Wearing a brace to stabilize the knee is also helpful.
Some serious knee injuries, such as an ACL or meniscus tear, may require surgery. During ACL surgery, the damaged ligament is reconstructed using the patients own tissue or tissue from another source. Meniscus tears are either trimmed or repaired in an arthroscopic procedure.
Dont let an unstable knee prevent you from enjoying life. The doctors at New York Bone & Joint Specialists have treated a variety of knee conditions and injuries using both non-surgical and surgical methods. Contact us today for an appointment.
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Your Knee Feels Unstable Or You Felt A Pop
Most ACL tears and patella dislocations occur from a twisting, non-contact injury. A typical story is that you were turning or twisting hard, and you felt a pop. As I mentioned earlier, most patella dislocations will reduce or go back into their usual place on their own. But if your patella remains dislocated the knee will look strange.
If you felt or heard a loud pop as you twisted or turned to avoid another player, then you may have torn your ACL. Other causes of popping include a patella or kneecap dislocation. If you felt or heard a loud pop in your knee, then there is a strong chance that you have a severe knee injury. Most ACL injuries and patella dislocations are non-contact injuries. A running back turning to head upfield. A striker moving laterally to avoid the defense. These are familiar stories when we see high school and college athletes who have torn their ACL.
This post dives further into the immediate management of suspected ACL injuries.
Helpful Ways How To Treat Swollen Knee From Fall
There are injuries that could happen while you are out doing your activities. However, one of those activities may accidentally cause you to fall and hurt your knee. As a result, your knee starts to hurt and become swollen. No need to panic as this article will tell you the 13 How to Treat Swollen Knee from Fall.
There are causes and effects about the swollen knee that you might want to read first to understand your injury better.
You may want to read:
Causes of Swollen Knee from Fall
When you fall, the knee can become injured due to a number of reasons. Most of these causes are the things that you cannot see with the eye. The swelling process happens inside the knee part of your body which includes the following:
- Inflammation
- Injured tissue
Effects of Swollen Knee from Fall
Of course, there are effects from a swollen knee. Most of them may cause a disruption in the daily life. Here are some of the effects of swollen knee from falling:
- Discomfort
- Limited activities
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Your Knee Is Locked And You Cant Straighten It
If you had a knee injury and you are not able to fully straighten the leg, you might have a locked knee. A locked knee is simply a knee that cannot fully straighten. There are different reasons a locked knee might occur. In some patients, swelling and inflammation can prevent you from fully straightening the knee. In others, a meniscus tear has flipped into the middle of the joint and is causing mechanical locking. You cannot straighten it with the meniscus in that position.
Many athletes who have a locked knee will also find it very painful to bend the knee too. They may feel sharp knee pain when bending which can occur when these bucket handle meniscus tears move.
The most common cause of a locked knee is a unique meniscus tear called a bucket handle tear. A bucket handle tear is considered a serious knee injury and will require surgery to fix or repair the tear. The reason these tears are serious is that a large piece of the meniscus tears flips over and becomes stuck in the middle of the knee joint. You need that meniscus to protect the knee. The vast majority of bucket-handle tears can be repaired. So the sooner we start the treatment process, the better the outcome might be after a meniscus repair.
You Felt Or Heard A Pop
Sometimes, a popping sound after a movement can indicate something is out of place.
Oftentimes this type of sound upon injury is indicative of a ligamentous injury, says Schwabe. Not all ligamentous injuries are full tears, though, and not all require surgery.
However, if you also experience excessive swelling and instability, get it checked out by an M.D. If you only have a mild sprain then you will be able to rehab it with physical therapy, he says.
The pop is what you hear as a result of a ligament tear, a meniscus tear, strained tendons, or a dislocated kneecap. Usually what happens is youll simultaneously hear and feel the pop.
If youre not familiar with the meniscus, its the cartilage in the knee that functions as a shock absorber. Each knee has two menisci, and theyre shaped like horseshoes. The medial meniscus is on the inside of the knee, and the lateral meniscus is on the outside.
The popping sensation can be difficult to explain, but youll certainly know it when it happens to you. Though the sound originates in the knee, youll hear it as though it was directly in your ear. Its as if the sensation travels up your body, and when it gets to your brain, it becomes audible.
If the pain is severe, youll want to visit a doctor as soon as possible. Surgery is often the recommended course of action, but physical therapy and other non-invasive remedies may be prescribed as alternatives.
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What Is A Knee Strain Or Sprain
A knee strain occurs when a muscle or tendon is torn or stretched. The tendons are fibrous cords that connect muscles to bones.
A knee sprain occurs when the ligaments in the knee joint stretch or tear. Ligaments connect the bones of your lower leg to the bones in your thigh together in your knee joints.
You Cant Put Weight On It
If its immensely painful to stand or put any weight on your injured knee, theres definitely something serious going on.
Inability to bear weight after a knee injury could be caused by a fracture, bone contusion, cartilage injury or ligament tear, explains Dr. Brown. Initial treatment includes using crutches or a steerable scooter to take pressure off the injured limb and minimize additional damage to the knee.
If this sounds like you, listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Dr. Brown warns that the old adage of no pain, no gain doesnt apply in this situation.
He advises seeking orthopedic evaluation as soon as possibleeven that same day if you can.
After a minor injury like a twist or fall, you might not be able to put weight on your leg immediately. Thats not necessarily a cause for alarm, but if you dont feel like youve recovered within a few minutes, this could indicate something more serious.
Its similar to when you injure a wrist or ankle. If you fall on your wrist or twist your ankle, you may experience searing pain for a moment or two. When the injury isnt severe, youre able to shake it off and resume your life after a few minutes at the most. However, if youve experienced a sprain, the pain doesnt subside. Instead, it gets worse.
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What To Do If You Fall And Hurt Your Knee
What to do if you fall and hurt your knee? I would want a free consultation regarding what to do if you fall and hurt your knee. We want to speak about your legal rights. Continue reading to learn about legal rights, personal injury, legal settlement, and more common answers.
Generally, the phrase What to do if you fall and hurt your knee, means you might have a legal claim for your personal injuries. Typically, the slip and fall must have been caused by unsafe conditions of the incident location. Main reasons for falling can be a wet floor, uneven ground, bad lighting, and more. You can call the law firm and get a completely free consultation with an attorney.
Free Consultation With Lawyer.
We provide a completely free consultation 24/7. We encourage you to speak with our law firm immediately. The best attorney is available and would be very happy to speak to you about your legal situation.
If We Dont Win, You Dont Pay.
We only get paid if our client wins. If our client does not win compensation, our law firm does not get paid. So, we represent individuals powerfully and aggressively. Our number one priority is to get our clients the best possible outcome for their legal case. We are proud of our many years of successful personal injury results.
What Can You Do For The Pain
Your plan will depend on your specific injury. Mild to moderate issues will often get better on their own. To speed the healing, you can:
- Rest your knee. Take a few days off from intense activity.
- Ice it to curb pain and swelling. Do it for 15 to 20 minutes every 3 to 4 hours. Keep doing it for 2 to 3 days or until the pain is gone.
- Compress your knee. Use an elastic bandage, straps, or sleeves to wrap the joint. It will keep down swelling or add support.
- Elevate your knee with a pillow under your heel when you’re sitting or lying down to cut down on swelling.
- Take anti-inflammatorymedications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen will help with pain and swelling. Follow the instructions on the label. These drugs can have side effects, so you should only use them now and then unless your doctor says otherwise.
- Practice stretching and strengthening exercises if your doctor recommends them. You may want to do physical therapy, too.
Make an appointment with a doctor if you still have pain after 2 weeks of home treatment, if the knee becomes warm, or if you have fever along with a painful, swollen knee.
Some people with knee pain need more help. For instance, if you have bursitis, your doctor may need to draw out extra fluid from the bursa in your knee. If you have arthritis, you may need an occasional corticosteroid shot to settle down inflammation. And if you have a torn ligament or certain knee injuries, you may need surgery.
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How Do You Know If You Have A Patella Fracture
The patella is the triangular bone at the front of the knee. It glides up and down the thigh bone every time we walk or climb stairs.
The kneecap connects to the shin bone through the patellar tendon. This makes it possible for us to straighten our knee joints.
If the kneecap breaks, your symptoms may worsen when you straighten or bend your knee. For example :
- Standing and/or walking can be very painful.
- It can be hard or impossible to raise your leg straight.
- In displaced fractures, the knee will look deformed.
- You may have swelling and bruising in the area.
How Are Knee Injuries Diagnosed
To diagnose a knee injury, health care providers ask about how the injury happened and what symptoms it causes.
The health care provider will do a physical exam that includes pressing on the knee and legs and moving them in certain ways. These tests can show what part of the knee is injured.
Imaging tests done sometimes used include:
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What Causes Hyperextended Knees
Most hyperextensions are caused during sports or other physical activities. Traumas like falling can also cause your knee to hyperextend. Anything that forces your knee backward can cause a hyperextended knee. Picture a football player getting tackled by their legs, or a basketball player landing awkwardly after a jump.
Causes Of A Knee Strain Or Sprain
- Injuries trauma, sports injuries or falls that overstretch the joints and soft tissue that surround the knee and cause a knee sprain or strain.
- Overuse building up too quickly in a sport, such as running, can overwhelm the body and lead to knee strains or sprains.
- Muscle weakness muscles that cant support the knee joints can cause a knee strain or sprain.
- Reduced flexibility tight muscles can restrict joint motion and lead to functional weaknesses at the knee joint to cause a knee strain or sprain.
- Running form overpronating when running or walking can increase stress to the knee and cause a knee strain or sprain.
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Risk Factors For A Fall
A study was conducted to understand the reasons for falls. It involved 134 knee replacement patients. 23 of these patients had a fall at least once during their six-month follow-up period.
It was observed that out of 31 falls recorded, 67.7% were while walking. The most common reasons were tripping and slipping, 35.5% each.
Place-wise, most falls happened at home or other indoor places . Most of these patients were not using any walking aids, such as canes, at the time of the fall .
Damage-wise, 4 of these falls led to minor bruising injuries . No bone fractures were recorded in the observed cases.
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