Common Knee Problems Caused by Car Crashes

When your body is impacted in the event of a car crash, your knees are incredibly susceptible to injuries as much as the rest of your body. Damage to your knees can limit your movement and ability to walk, so it’s crucial to be cared for right away. The kind professionals at Impact Medical Sarasota want to inform you on the different knee problems that can occur during an accident and what you can do to treat them.

Dashboard Knee

Medically referred to as posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury, dashboard knee is the most common type of knee injury that can happen during a car crash. As the name suggests, damage is inflicted by your kneecap (or patella) slamming against the dashboard. This can induce fractures, bruising, and dislocation which produces symptoms such as intense pain and swelling. For less severe cases, manual therapy can help relieve the pain and expedite the healing process.

Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury

Very similar to dashboard knee, MCL injuries involve a different set of ligaments that are also connected to the shinbone and thighbone (or tibia and femur, respectively). Like with PCL, manual therapy is also recommended for lessening symptoms and to help with healing.

Torn Meniscus

The meniscus is the cartilage between the tibia and femur located on the sides of the knee. Its purpose is to prevent any friction between the knee bones as well as to absorb shock during an impact. If your kneecap twists during a car crash, the meniscus can tear and cause an entire slew of problems. In this case, physical therapy is the best choice for strengthening the muscles back to full health.

Symptoms:

• Severe pain
• Limited range of motion
• Inability to bend or straighten the knee
• Swelling around the patella
• Locking of the knee
• Instability when standing or walking

Dislocated Patella

When your kneecap is dislocated, it only needs to be repositioned back into place. Although not as serious as a fracture, you can still experience a limited range of mobility when attempting to extend or flex the joint. The best you can do to nurse your knee back to normal is by light exercises after it’s been repositioned. Physical therapy sessions are a great way to get in your exercise while rebuilding muscle strength, and manual therapy can relax those muscles for faster healing.

Knee Fractures

If a direct blow to the knee is powerful enough, it can cause fractures. These fractures can occur at any part of the knee whether it be above, below, to the sides, or directly in the center. In worse cases, the knee can crack in multiple areas. No matter how severe, you can experience swelling, bruising, and a difficult time walking or straightening your leg. Sometimes surgery is required, but for less intense cases you may only need to undergo some physical therapy.

Enduring knee problems can be very debilitating in your day-to-day life. Physical and manual therapy can hasten the healing process depending on the type of injury, and the caring staff at Impact Medical Sarasota are eager to give you the treatment you need so you can feel like yourself again. If you have a knee injury that needs to be remedied, give us a call at (941) 269-2183 to schedule an appointment.