Common Sports-related Knee Injuries

The knee has a complex structure and is one of the most stressed joints in the body. It is the largest joint, vital for movement, and vulnerable to injury. It is made up of four main things: bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. If any one or more of these parts are injured, then it can lead to fractures around the knee, dislocation, sprains and tears of soft tissues, like ligaments.

Structure of the Knee

Bones: The femur (thigh bone), tibia (leg bone), and patella (knee cap), make up the bones of the knee.

Meniscus: Two wedge-shaped pieces of meniscal cartilage act as “shock absorbers” between your femur and tibia. These discs act as a cushion so that the bones of the knee can move through their range of motion without rubbing against each other.

Ligaments: Ligaments are like ropes that connect bones to other bones. The knee has four; ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), MCL (medial collateral ligament), PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), and LCL (lateral collateral ligament).

Tendons: Tendons are tissues that connect muscles to bone and provide stability to the joint.

Knees are often injured during sports, exercising or as result of a fall. Let us look at the most common sports-related knee injuries.

Common Sports-related Knee Injuries

Meniscus tear
The most common, acute sports-related injuries to the knee are ligament sprains and meniscus tears. Ligaments hold the knee together and sprains occur when they are over-stretched and some of their fibres are torn. A simple awkward turn while playing sports or a twist can cause the meniscus to tear resulting in stiffness, swelling, locking, and decreased range of motion.

Fractures
A trauma to the patella bone is the most common type of fracture resulting from a sports injury.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries
The anterior cruciate ligament is often injured during sports activities. Sports activities like soccer, football, basketball where athletes may rapidly change direction or land from a jump incorrectly can tear the ACL.

Treatment of Sports-Related Knee Injuries

When you suffer from a sports-related knee injury, start with the RICE method — rest, ice, gentle compression and elevation. Ensure you seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Your treatment will depend on the severity of the injury, your age, your history of knee-related injuries if you have been playing sports for very long and your ability to move.

The Body Group offers sports therapy and rehabilitation in Hong Kong to treat sports-related injuries. Our sports rehabilitation experts can help restore optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness, regardless of age and ability.

Our physiotherapists can help you with a treatment plan to restore stability, strength and mobility of the knee. Specific exercises as suggested by our physiotherapists will restore function to your knee and strengthen the leg muscles that support it.

To complement our physiotherapy treatments, we also offer a clinical therapeutic massage and sports massage service in our clinic in Hong Kong.
If you’re seeking treatment for a sports-related knee injury, then book an appointment with our experts at The Body Group, Hong Kong.