Knee injuries are common among athletes and active adults. Phoenix physical therapy and knee pain treatment in Phoenix can reduce your pain, but it’s also helpful to understand the source of it before reaching out for help.
Knee pain is typically caused by damage to your ligaments, the tough bands of tissue that connect your bones. There are four different ligaments in your knees:
- ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)
- FCL (Fibular Collateral Ligament)
- TCL (Tibial Collateral Ligament)
- PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament)
Most knee problems occur when the ACL or PCL are overextended. Women are more prone to these injuries than men, but both can avoid them by watching out for these common causes of ligament damage:
- Twisting your knee while your foot is still planted
- Getting hit on the knee
- Overextending your knee
- Landing on your knee while it’s flexed
- Stopping suddenly while running
- Shifting your weight suddenly from one leg to another
Football players, soccer players, basketball players, skiers, and gymnasts are especially prone to knee injuries, but all athletes and active adults should be cautious when performing these movements. If you start to feel pain, it could be fatigue or something more serious. Here are some of the indications that you may need to see a doctor or get knee pain treatment in Phoenix:
- Feeling sudden and severe pain
- Experiencing a popping or snapping sound
- Seeing excessive swelling
- Feeling looseness in the knee joint
- Experiencing pain that doesn’t allow weight bearing on the joint
To relieve these types of pain and develop a rehabilitation plan, see a Phoenix physical therapy doctor for a consultation. Foothills Sports Medicine has trained physical therapists that can assess your knee pain and create a treatment plan that’s perfect for you. For more information, find a Foothills Sports Medicine location near you.
