Knee Injury
The knee is a complicated joint made from bone, cartilage, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Any of these structures can be damaged as a result of accident, injury or wear and tear. Injuries can often occur during sporting activities and they can vary from a soft tissue injury or sprain to a more severe ligament tear or fracture which can affect the stability of the knee. It is always worth seeking medical advice if you have injured your knee to determine whether any intervention is required.
What are the most common types of knee injury?
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury – This ligament sits in the centre of the knee and is often injured during cutting or pivoting sports like football. It often occurs with an injury to some of the other soft tissue structures around the knee.
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) injury – This ligament sits alongside the ACL in the knee and is less frequently injured. It can be injured in contact sports or other accidents where the knee is hit from the front.
- Collateral ligament injuries – These two ligaments support the knee from the sides. They can be damaged after a blow from either side.
- Meniscal injuries – These are two specialised pieces of cartilage in the centre of the knee. They can be torn after a twisting injury or tackle during sports. They can also tear over time in conditions like arthritis when a simple twisting movement can cause damage.
- Tendon injuries – The quadriceps and patellar tendons can tear following a fall onto the front of the knee, or landing awkwardly during sporting activities.
- Fractures – Any bone in the knee can break, the most common is the patella (knee cap) and this is usually following a fall. The femur and tibia are more often fractured after a higher impact injury.
- Dislocations – It is uncommon for the knee itself to dislocate without significant trauma. A dislocation of the patella is a more common injury.
How do I know if my knee injury is serious?
Following an accident or injury you should seek advice if you are finding it difficult to manage your knee pain or have tried a few days of rest, elevation and pain killers and still have pain. If you are unable to put weight onto the affected knee or have difficulty bending it or straightening it all the way out, that may signify an injury needing attention. Other symptoms include the knee locking or giving way, any deformity, a hot knee, or a lot of swelling around the knee.
How do I know what kind of knee injury I have?
Your orthopaedic surgeon will speak to you about your injury and take details of the type of symptoms you are experiencing; they will examine your knee. An Xray, MRI or CT scan might be also be used to help determine the kind of injury.
Do knee injuries heal on their own?
Some knee injuries such as sprains will heal by themselves over time. It can take 6-12 weeks for symptoms to fully resolve.
