Knee Injury Treatment in Seattle, WA
The knee is the largest joint in the body and one of the most easily injured. Your knee is complex with many components including ligaments, bones, cartilage, and tendons. All of these elements work together to give your knee great mobility and functionality.
What are Common Knee Injuries?
In many cases, injuries involve more than one structure in the knee. Knee injuries can result from a sudden incident, overuse, or trauma.
Common knee injuries include:
- Sprains
- Ligament tears
- Fractures
- Dislocations
The most common knee injuries include sprains and tears of soft tissues like ligaments or meniscus. Fractures and dislocation can also be common.
What are Signs of a Knee Injury?
If you injure your knee, you may feel pain or swelling. These are the most common signs of a knee injury. You may also feel your knee lock or cause instability. You will often limp and be unable to walk.
If you feel a sudden pop or cannot move your knee, seek help right away.
What are Treatment Options for Knee Injuries?
Many knee injuries can be successfully treated with simple measures, such as bracing and rehabilitation exercises. Other injuries may require surgery to correct.
The type of treatment Dr. Williams recommends will depend on several factors, such as the severity of your injury, and your age, general health, and activity level.
RICE Protocol
A common treatment protocol for knee injuries can help in recovery:
- Rest – Avoid putting weight on the painful knee
- Ice – Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, but not directly on the skin
- Compression – Lightly wrap the injured area in a soft bandage or ace wrap to help with pain and reduce swelling
- Elevation – When resting, elevate the injured knee higher than your heart to help with circulation and swelling
Nonsurgical Options
- Physical therapy – Your provider may recommend exercises to restore function to your knee and strengthen supporting muscles
- Knee brace – You may need to immobilize your knee with a support brace and crutches to give your knee time to heal
- Anti-inflammatory medications – Your provider may recommend drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen reduce pain and swelling
Surgical Options
- Minimally-invasive surgery – Some knee surgeries can be performed using miniature instruments and small incisions to help speed up recovery time
- Traditional surgery – Many fractures and injuries around the knee require surgery to fully restore function to your leg
Trust Us with Your Knee Repair
If you need help with your knee injury, give us a call. Our providers are highly trained to diagnose and treat your knee injury so you can reclaim your quality of life.
