This is the largest joint in the body and is also the joint most commonly vulnerable to injury. It is a hinged joint composed of various soft tissue parts (ligaments, tendons, and muscles). The knee’s bone structure is made up of the femur (longest and strongest bone in the body), the tibia (one of the two shinbones) and the patella (kneecap). It has two main forms of motion, flexion and extension. Medial and lateral movements are possible to a limited degree. Excessive medial and lateral movements are the main cause of injury. Knee injuries are common in sports and daily activities.

Common knee injuries and conditions that we treat include:

Arthritis – Arthritis refers to the variety of conditions that cause inflammation and the degeneration of the cartilage and lining of the body’s joints. It can occur at any joint, but is especially prevalent in the feet and ankles. Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, causing severe deformities of joints, which restricts motion and causes pain. Osteoarthritis can be a result of a previous injury to the joint, or can result from normal “wear and tear”.

Patellar Dislocation/Subluxation – Most prevalent in sports injuries. As a rule, kneecap displacement occurs outwardly/laterally leaving the kneecap to rest abnormally on the knee joint. Kneecap dislocation is the complete displacement of the kneecap off the joint surface and, is commonly associated with repetitive knee trauma.

Collateral Ligament (CL) Sprains - Medial and lateral ligament sprains occur commonly due to a direct blow to the side aspects of the knee while the foot is firmly planted. This will tend to stretch and tear the supporting ligaments and muscles that are surrounding the knee. There are four ligaments in the knee; the MCL (medial), LCL (Lateral), ACL (Anterior), and PCL (Posterior). Depending on the degree of sprain, therapy can range anywhere from icing and NSAIF’s to physio and/or surgery. It is estimated that the typical healing time is 3-8 weeks with the possible aid of a hinged knee brace during activity to prevent further injury during the first year.