Knee Injuries

What are knee injuries?

Knee injuries are very common and can occur due to aging, arthritis or impact from playing sports, falling or road traffic accidents. The knee is made up of several components including joints, cartilage, ligaments and tendons, with any one of these being susceptible to injury. A knee injury can be very painful and cause difficulty walking or getting up from a chair and participating in sports.

What are the causes of knee injuries?

There are multiple potential causes of knee injuries, with playing sports, arthritis and age all being common factors in people who are more likely to suffer a knee injury.

Types of knee injury

Fractures

Knee fractures are most commonly caused by high intensity trauma such as falls from height and road traffic accidents. The most frequently broken bone in the knee is the patella

Dislocation

Dislocation of the knee will occur when the bones of the knee are out of place or forced out of alignment. Knee dislocation can be caused by an abnormality in the structure of the knee; road traffic accidents; sports related injuries; and falls.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury

The anterior cruciate ligament is most commonly injured during sporting activities where someone might change direction rapidly or jump incorrectly, causing a tear in the ACL. The person may require surgery to treat the injury.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury

The posterior cruciate ligament is often injured from a blow to the knee while the knee is bent. This can occur during a road traffic accident or due to a sports related injury and often have the potential to heal on their own.

Collateral Ligament Injuries

Connecting your thighbone to your lower leg bone, sprains and tears to the knee ligament are a common sports injury. The Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) are found on the sides of your knee and are often caused by a force that pushes your knee sideways, resulting in injury.

Meniscal Tears

Another common sporting injury, meniscal tears occur when twisting, pivoting or being tackled and can also be caused by aging or arthritis.

Tendon Tears

Usually caused by sports injuries or falls which cause direct impact to the front of the knee, tendon tears usually occur in the quadriceps and patellar tendons.

Chondral Defect Injury

A Chondral Defect Injury may occur as a result of a pivot or twist on a bent knee, or direct blow to the knee. They can also occur as a person gets older.  This type of injury can also occur alongside an ACL tear.