5 Smart Self-Care Tips for Managing Tennis Elbow
Sports injuries like lateral epicondylitis, more commonly known as tennis elbow, result from repetitive stress. Take a moment to learn more about how you can manage tennis elbow.
Why Is the Knee So Vulnerable?
Your knees can suffer from a range of injuries and painful medical conditions, from torn tendons or ligaments to joint damage related to arthritis. Sometimes, it seems like your knees might just be the most vulnerable part of your entire body.
For orthopedic expertise, you can turn to Dr. Michael L. Blackwell and his care team at the Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine of Tomball, Kingwood, and The Woodlands, Texas.
No matter what type of knee problems you’re dealing with, we can recommend effective treatment options to preserve your comfort and mobility.
Understanding your knee joint
Your knee joint connects the long bones of your legs, joining your thigh bone to your shin bone, allowing you to bend and twist in a variety of motions. Your knee joint carries the whole weight of your upper body, one of the reasons why knees are so vulnerable to illness and wear-and-tear.
Your knee joint contains a bony kneecap called a patella, as well as tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Tendons and ligaments keep your knee joint connected, and the C-shaped pieces of cartilage in your knee, your medial and lateral menisci, absorb shocks and cushion the joint. Bursae, or fluid-filled sacs, also help to keep your knee joint moving smoothly.
Knee injuries and knee joint degeneration
Your knees can become damaged or worn in different ways.
If you play a contact sport like soccer, an injury might harm your knee joint. Sports medicine involves a lot of treatment of injured knees. Strains or tears in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are particularly common.
Or, if you have a degenerative condition like osteoarthritis, the cartilage and tissues that allow your knee joint to move smoothly and without pain can break down and wear away, leaving your knee joint grinding painfully when you sit, stand, bend, or twist.
Treatment and support for your knees
Dr. Blackwell starts with the most conservative possible approach to your knee problems, whether due to injury or a different medical condition. Your condition may improve using conservative approaches. They include:
- Bracing the knee joint to provide support during healing
- Icing to reduce pain and inflammation
- Medication management to calm your knee pain symptoms
- Physical therapy, strengthening the muscles around your knee joint to take pressure off your knees
- Joint injections to kick-start regeneration and relieve pain
- Weight loss, another great way to lessen pressure on your knees
However, in some cases, you need surgical intervention. Dr. Blackwell provides both partial and total knee replacement surgery for patients who need more intensive treatment for knee problems using Mako robot-assisted technology. Arthritis of the knees, and injuries like an ACL tear, often necessitate surgical treatment.
To learn more about vulnerabilities in your knee joints, and find out what course of treatment is best to support your mobility and wellness, get in touch with Dr. Blackwell at the Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine today.
Book by phone, or request your appointment online now.
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