Knee Injury Care in Hickory, NC
Are you experiencing knee pain or discomfort? AFC Urgent Care offers orthopedic urgent care services to help you get fast relief after an injury. Our expert team of providers is here to provide prompt diagnosis, effective treatment, and compassionate care to get you back on your feet and enjoying life to the fullest.
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Whether you have had an injury at a sports game, had an accidental fall while playing with your kids, or have been struggling with arthritis for some time now, knee pain can be a serious nuisance when it comes to our everyday activities.
Your knee, of all the joints in your body, is at the greatest risk of injury. In fact, the knee is the most injured joint by adolescent athletes with an estimated 2.5 million injuries annually, and chronic knee pain affects close to 25 percent of all adults. Persistent knee joint pain can significantly impact your daily activities, making it difficult to walk, climb stairs, and even sit and stand. There are many factors that can go into why you are experiencing pain in your knees including age, injury, and repeated stress.
Common Knee Conditions and Injuries We Treat
The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is a ligament that helps to stabilize the knee joint. An ACL tear can be a painful and limiting injury, making it difficult to walk, run, and pivot. An ACL tear can be caused by a sudden twist or pivoting movement of the knee. ACL tears are common in athletes who play sports such as basketball, soccer, and football.
Symptoms of an ACL tear include:A popping sound or sensation in the knee at the time of the injury
Severe pain and swelling in the knee
Instability in the knee joint, making it feel like the knee is going to give out
Symptoms of an ACL tear include:
The MCL is a ligament that helps to prevent the knee from bending inward. It is located on the inside of the knee joint and connects the thighbone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia). An MCL tear can be caused by a blow to the outside of the knee. This type of tear can cause instability in the knee joint, making it feel like the knee is going to give out.
The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that acts as a cushion between the bones of the knee joint. A meniscus tear can be caused by a sudden twisting or pivoting movement of the knee. Traumatic tears are most common in young athletes. Degenerative tears occur when routine forces jogging, or yard work cause tears in menisci that have become soft and weak due to age, arthritis, or overuse. A meniscus tear can cause pain, swelling, locking, and clicking in the knee joint.
Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa, which is a fluid-filled sac that cushions the bones and tendons around the knee joint. These help to decrease friction as you move your knees. Bursitis can occur for several reasons. Like other knee conditions it can be caused due to injury or overuse, but it can also happen due to an infection affecting the bursa. Knee bursitis can cause pain, swelling, and redness over the affected bursa.
Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon, which is a tough band of tissue that connects muscle to bone. Often called jumper’s knee, this condition is caused by the overuse of your knee joint and is associated with tenderness at the lower part of your kneecap. Knee tendinitis can cause pain, swelling, and tenderness in the tendons around the knee joint.
Arthritis is a general term for inflammation of the joints. There are many different types of arthritis, but they all cause joint pain and inflammation. Gout is a type of arthritis that is caused by a build up of uric acid crystals in the joints. When gout affects the knee joint, it can cause sudden, severe pain, swelling, and redness. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative arthritis that causes the cartilage in the knee joint to wear down over time. This can lead to pain, stiffness, swelling, and difficulty moving the knee joint.
If you can’t make it to AFC immediately after an incident, use the R.I.C.E. method. |
Rest – After an accident, get to a comfortable location as soon as possible, and rest to prevent additional strain on the injury.
Ice – Wrap an ice pack in a towel and apply it to the injury for 15 to 20 minutes. Reapply the ice every 3 hours. If you don’t have an ice pack, a bag of frozen produce will get the job done.
Compress – Put pressure on the injured area by wrapping it with an elastic bandage. Make sure the bandage is tight but not too tight. You can tell if the bandage is too tight when the injured area turns blue or starts feeling numb.
Elevate – To properly elevate your injury, position the injured area to rest above your heart. The most common way to elevate the injury is to stack several pillows under your foot, arm, ankle or leg while resting in bed or on a sofa.
Don't wait to get the medical attention you need.
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