A comprehensive look at knee injuries: knowing what it is, why it happens, and moving towards a comprehensive recovery journey

With the improvement of people's living standards and the enhancement of sports and fitness awareness, knee joint injuries have become a health problem that cannot be ignored. Whether you are a sports enthusiast, the elderly or a worker who stands for a long time, you may face the risk of knee joint injuries. This article will deeply analyze the causes, diagnosis methods and prevention and treatment strategies of knee joint injuries to help you better understand and protect this important joint.

1. Causes of knee injury

The occurrence of knee joint injury is not accidental, but the result of the combined action of multiple factors.

1. Traumatic injury: In intense sports such as football and basketball, the sudden turning, running and jumping movements can easily cause damage to the knee ligaments, meniscus or cartilage. Traffic accidents, falls and other accidents may also cause serious knee injuries, including fractures, ligament tears, etc.

2. Daily wear and tear: Aging causes the joint cartilage to gradually degenerate, leading to knee joint wear. Long-term repetitive activities such as climbing stairs and walking may also increase the burden on the knee joint and cause chronic wear and tear.

3. Specific occupations or sports: Athletes have a higher risk of knee injuries due to high-intensity training and competition. Common injuries include meniscus injury, anterior cruciate ligament injury, etc. People who engage in heavy physical labor or need to stand for long periods of time, such as construction workers and waiters, also have an increased risk of knee injuries.

4. Improper exercise methods: insufficient warm-up before exercise, excessive exercise intensity, twisting the knee in a semi-flexed state, etc., may increase the risk of knee injury.

5. Abnormal anatomical structure: Congenital or acquired abnormalities in the anatomical structure of the knee joint, such as patellar dysplasia and knee instability, make the knee joint more susceptible to injury.

6. Other factors: overweight or obesity, malnutrition (such as lack of vitamin D and calcium), etc. can also affect the health of the knee joint and increase the risk of injury.

2. Diagnosis of knee injury

Accurate diagnosis of knee injuries is the prerequisite for developing an effective treatment plan. The diagnostic process usually includes:

1. Medical history collection: Understand in detail the time, method, symptoms, etc. of the injury, as well as the patient's previous history of knee joint disease or surgery.

2. Physical examination: The doctor determines whether there is swelling, pain, limited joint movement, instability, etc. through observation, touch, joint range of motion tests, and special stability tests.

3. Imaging examination: X-ray examination is used to rule out problems such as fractures and joint dislocations; MRI can clearly show soft tissue injuries such as meniscus and ligaments; ultrasound and CT are also valuable in specific circumstances.

4. Arthroscopy: When necessary, minimally invasive surgery can be used to directly observe the inside of the joint and accurately diagnose meniscus and ligament injuries.

5. Laboratory tests: Blood or joint fluid tests may be required for patients suspected of infectious arthritis, gout, and other diseases.

By combining the above methods, doctors can comprehensively assess knee joint injuries and lay a solid foundation for subsequent treatment.

3. Prevention and treatment strategies for knee joint injuries

Prevention is better than cure, and the focus is on lifestyle adjustments and optimization of daily activities to reduce the burden and pain on the knee joint.

1. Let's first understand the anatomical structure of the knee joint.

The knee joint is composed of the lower end of the femur, the upper end of the tibia and the patella. It is the largest and most complex joint in the human body. The main movement of the knee joint is flexion and extension of the knee, and there is slight rotation in the semi-flexed position. The stability and flexibility of the knee joint are maintained through the joint action of the bone structure, meniscus, joint capsule, and accessory ligaments, allowing the human body to perform flexion and extension, rotation, adduction, abduction and other movements. The anatomical characteristics of the knee joint determine that it is vulnerable to injury during sports and daily life. Therefore, understanding and protecting the anatomical structure of the knee joint is crucial to preventing injuries.

(II) Preventive measures:

You need to strengthen your muscles, especially your quadriceps (femoral thigh muscles), hamstrings (hamstrings), glutes, and core muscles, and improve joint stability.

1. Let’s focus on the importance of quadriceps training

The quadriceps is the most important part of the front area of ​​the knee joint, accounting for about 3/4 of the front of the thigh. It is composed of four muscles: the rectus femoris, the vastus medialis, the vastus lateralis, and the vastus intermedius. The four muscles merge into the patellar tendon. Quadriceps training can transfer the pressure added to the knee joint to the muscles, which relieves the pressure on the joint. When the thigh muscles become stronger, they can indirectly reduce the pressure between the kneecap and the femur, reduce wear and tear, and delay knee aging.

Then we might as well practice these 5 movements frequently to strengthen the strength of the quadriceps and protect our knee joints!

(1) Sit naturally on a chair of moderate height with your knees at about 90 degrees. Lift and straighten your legs alternately, and try to keep them straight while straightening. Hold for 10 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat 10 times.

(2) Sit naturally on a chair of moderate height with your knee at about 90 degrees. Bend one knee as much as possible, then straighten your leg. Hold for about 10 seconds, then put it down and switch to the other side.

(3) Lie flat on a hard bed with your legs straight at all times. Slowly raise one leg to about 45 degrees until you feel the leg muscles ache. Then slowly lower it until you feel the leg muscles ache to achieve the desired effect.

(4) Sit upright on a chair with a solid back. Place a small pillow under your thighs to raise your knees. Keep your back straight and your feet hanging down, swaying naturally back and forth. You can do this exercise more often.

(5) Choose to squat with the ball. Compared with squatting against the wall, it can reduce the pressure on the front of the knee joint to a lesser extent. At the same time, let the hips participate in this movement. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, squat with your knees bent to about 70 degrees (not necessary to 90 degrees), keep your calves vertical to the ground, and exert force on the entire sole of the foot. When doing this, be careful not to let the knee joint exceed the toes or turn inward. Do one minute per set, and do 5-6 sets in total.

2. Improve flexibility and agility: Regularly perform stretching and exercises such as yoga and Pilates. Stretching training is essential for improving flexibility. It can help muscles and joints to be fully stretched, thereby increasing the range of motion of the joints and reducing the risk of sports injuries.

3. Correct exercise techniques: learn and practice scientific exercise methods and avoid sudden and violent movements.

4. Choose suitable sports shoes: Make sure the shoes have good cushioning and support, and replace worn sports shoes in time.

5. Control your weight: Maintain a healthy weight and reduce the burden on your knee joints.

6. Avoid overuse: Arrange the intensity and frequency of exercise reasonably and give the knee joint sufficient rest. If you feel discomfort in the knee joint during exercise, stop immediately and seek help.

7. Use protective equipment: Use protective equipment such as knee pads during high-risk sports.

8. Pay attention to environmental safety: avoid activities on uneven or slippery surfaces.

4. Treatment options for knee injuries:

(I) Conservative treatment: including rest protection, ice compress, drug therapy, physical therapy, use of orthotics, etc., suitable for mild or partial types of knee injuries.

(ii) Surgical treatment: For cases of severe injury, ineffective conservative treatment or joint instability, arthroscopic surgery, open surgery or even joint replacement may be required.

(III) Rehabilitation training: Regardless of conservative treatment or surgical treatment, rehabilitation training is the key to restoring joint function, including passive exercise, active exercise, balance and coordination training, functional training, etc.

Rehabilitation is an important part of knee injury treatment. During the rehabilitation process, you need to rest and avoid getting cold to reduce the risk of re-injury. At the same time, hot compresses and physical therapy can be used to promote blood circulation and reduce swelling.

In summary, the prevention and treatment of knee injuries is a systematic project. Individuals need to adopt a scientific lifestyle, exercise habits and treatment measures based on their own conditions and in combination with the professional guidance of a doctor to maintain the health of the knee joint and enjoy unimpeded freedom of movement.

Author: Zhang Zhenfang, Jiangwan Hospital, Hongkou District, Shanghai