

KNEE SURGERY

	KNEE REPLACEMENT ARTHROSCOPIC PROCEDURES KNEE ANATOMY AND FUNCTION
KNEE CONDITIONS

	PATELLAR TENDONITIS CHONDROMALACIA PATELLA RUNNERS KNEE BAKER'S CYST BURSITIS ARTHRITIS OSTEOARTHRITIS PLICA SYNDROME OSGOOD-SCHLATTER DISEASE OSTEOCHONDRITIS (OCD) PATELLOFEMORAL DISORDERS
KNEE INJURIES

	ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY (ACL) ARTICULAR CARTILAGE LESIONS LATERAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT INJURY (LCL) MEDIAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT INJURY (MCL) PATELLAR TENDON RUPTURE POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY (PCL) TORN MENISCUS (Cartilage) FRACTURES & DISLOCATIONS
PATIENT RESOURCES

	SPORTS RELATED KNEE INJURIES BEFORE KNEE SURGERY KNEE SURGERY RECOVERY Insurance Carriers

Sports Related Knee Injuries

Knee pain and knee injuries are extremely common in athletes. In order to treat the cause of the knee pain it's important to have an evaluation and proper diagnosis. Common reasons for knee pain in athletes include the following:

Knee Pain from Ligament Injuries

Ligament injuries to the knee are very common in sports that require stopping and starting or quickly changing directions. These extreme forces on the knee can result in torn ligaments. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL) are the most often injured, but the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL)can also be injured.

Cruciate ligament injuries don't always cause pain, but typically cause a loud "pop." Most of these injuries are confirmed with an MRI. Arthroscopic surgery is sometimes the best way to find a partial tear.

Sprains

A sprain means you've stretched or torn a ligament. Common knee sprains usually involve damage to the ACL and/or MCL. The most serious sprains involve complete tears of one or more of the knee ligaments. Symptoms of knee sprains include:

a popping or snapping sound in the knee at the time of injury
pain that seems to come from within the knee, especially with movement
not being able to put any weight on that leg
swelling
fluid behind the kneecap
the knee feels loose or unstable or gives way

Strains

A strain means you've partially or completely torn a muscle or tendon. With knee strains, you may feel symptoms similar to a sprain and may see bruises around the injured area.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis happens when a tendon gets irritated or inflamed. It is often caused by overuse. A person with tendinitis might have pain or tenderness when walking, or when bending, extending, or lifting a leg.

Meniscal Tears

Damage to the menisci is a really common sports injury, especially in sports where sudden changes in speed or side-to-side movements can cause them to tear. Meniscal injuries often occur together with severe sprains, especially those involving the ACL.

Meniscal injuries can cause tenderness, tightness, and swelling around the front of the knee. Sometimes fluid collects around the knee (this is called effusion).

Fractures and Dislocations

A fracture is a cracked, broken, or shattered bone and is usually diagnosed by an X-ray. You may have trouble moving that bone and it's likely there's a lot of pain. Patellar dislocation happens when the patella (the kneecap) is knocked off to the side of the knee joint by twisting or some kind of impact. Sometimes it will go back to its normal position by itself, but usually it will need to be put back into place by a doctor.

Symptoms include swelling and a lot of pain at the front of your knee. There will usually be an abnormal bulge on the side of your knee, and you may be unable to walk.

Cartilage Injuries

Sometimes a small piece of bone or cartilage softens or breaks off from the end of a bone, causing long-term knee pain. This is called osteochondritis dessicans (OCD). Symptoms of OCD include pain, swelling, an inability to extend the leg, and stiffness, catching, or popping sensations with knee movement. Treatment can include resting the knee, wearing a cast for a couple of months, and sometimes surgery in older teens.

Chondromalacia happens when the cartilage in the knee joint softens because of injury, muscle weakness, or overuse, and the patella and the thighbone may rub together. This causes pain and aching, especially when a person walks up stairs or hills. Treatment may involve surgery.