Common Knee Injuries from Car Accidents
Knees are among the most delicate body parts and vulnerable to car accident injuries. The impact of a car accident may cause the knee to hit nearby objects, and commonly, the car’s steering wheel, dashboard, or door. If not properly treated, a traumatic knee injury could result in disability.
Here’s everything you need to know about common knee injuries from car accidents.
4 Types of Knee Injuries from Car Accidents
1. Torn Meniscus
The knee consists of the medial and lateral meniscus, forming C-shaped cartilage that serves as a cushion between the thigh bone and shinbone. A sudden accident impact can force the cartilage to twist or rotate, leading to a torn meniscus.
Torn Meniscus Symptoms
- Knee pain and swelling
- Clicking sound
- Locked-up knee joint
- Inability to straighten the knee
Here’s how to treat torn meniscus naturally:
- Resting
- Icing
- Elevating the knee with a pillow
- Compressing the knee using a compression bandage or knee sleeve
- Physical therapy
- Eating healthy
2. Ligament Injuries
A ligament is a connective tissue forming the knee joint. Traumatic knee injury from a car accident can overstretch, causing the knee tissue to tear. While you can still work with a torn knee ligament, the instability and pain may prove difficult.
Common types of ligament injuries include:
- Anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL)
- Posterior cruciate ligament injury (PCL) or dashboard knee injury
- Medial collateral ligament injury (MCL)
- Lateral collateral ligament injury (LCL)
You must visit a knee ligament doctor for knee ligament injury treatment.
3. Kneecap Fractures
A knee fracture or fractured patella is a crack of the kneecap bone. It’s the movable bone at the front part of your knee, and it protects your joint. An impact force from an accident can cause the knee to hit the dashboard, causing the patella to break partially or entirely.
4. Knee Dislocation
A knee dislocation happens when a bone in the knee joint moves out of position caused by blunt force trauma. Mild dislocation may cause the bone to slide, resulting in knee pain and stiffness.
A severely dislocated knee cap could lead to extreme swelling and pain and even the inability to stand or walk. Surgical knee dislocation may require surgical treatment.
Knee Injury Symptoms
Below are the bursitis knee symptoms you should watch for after a car crash:
- Discoloration or bruising
- Swelling or inflammation
- Knee stiffness
- Instability or weakness
- Redness and burning pain
- Clicking noises during movement
- Limited range of motion
If you experience any of the above symptoms, visit a qualified knee injury doctor or an accident clinic in Miami immediately. The treatment will vary from a knee capsule injury treatment to knee injury rehab.
How Effective Are Chiropractors?
A car accident chiropractor is a specialist in treating back and knee injuries, including knee bursitis, whiplash, soft tissue injuries, and most other injuries. Visiting a chiropractor can be an effective way to relieve pain and rehabilitate a knee injury.
Licensed chiropractors will assess a patient’s knee injury through orthopedic or neurological examinations and X-rays to determine their underlying issues. They will recommend a customized car accident knee injury treatment for your recovery.-
How Do Chiropractors Know Where To Adjust?
By using their hands, Chiropractors test the patients’ response to pressure and manipulation as they look for trouble spots. They also examine your range of motion and gait clues to determine regions to adjust to make you feel better.
At Silverman Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Center™, we offer the best knee injury chiropractic treatments to help ease your pain. Call 305-676-8525 to schedule an appointment or to find out more information on knee injuries. You may also contact us online.