Symptoms of ligament tear
1
There is visible swelling in the knee, which starts to turn purple because of the area’s improper blood flow. Blood build-up from the injured ligament induces swelling.
2
A partially broken ligament does not produce a pop sound, whereas a fully ruptured ligament produces a pop sound.
3
The knee can’t work correctly, and you may feel you can’t manage it.
Treatment options for knee pain: knee pain from ruptured ligaments
A ruptured ligament in the knee, depending on the severity of the injury, can take a long time to recover. In the case of a minor ligament tear, taking a good amount of rest and proper anti-inflammatory medications is good enough to treat the injury for a few weeks. But for severely ruptured ligaments, there are standard treatment options to treat the injury completely and such includes:
Physical Therapy Treatment
Physical therapy exercises for particular ligaments will help repair damage to ligaments and restore full knee function.
Bracing
Using a knee brace or crutch can help the knee stabilize and stop lateral movement, which can cause ligament injury and prevent healing.
Knee Surgery Treatment
Regular care can not work with extreme injuries associated with other lesions, and the doctor will most probably prescribe a knee surgery treatment as a solution in those situations.
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Signs and Symptoms of Knee Pain
Swelling an stiffness
This is usually present in the early stage of the injury and may occur at the time of the injury to 48 hours after injury. Due to the excess fluid in the knee, the joint may be difficult to bend or straighten. Swelling must be well managed through rest, elevation, compression and cryotherapy. Seek advice from a doctor who specialises in physiotherapy to know how to care for your swollen knees.
Inability to fully straighten the knee
Determining if the knee is not bending as a result of knee pain or something inside physically impeding movement of the joint is important. The reason for a locked knee may be due to a meniscus tear, loose bony fragments or muscle tears. An X-ray or an MRI scan can be helpful to determine the cause.
Weakness and instability
Your knee may feel unstable when you are running or even walking. It may give way or buckle, causing you to lose balance or fall. This may be related to a knee sprain, muscle strain/tear, or ligament injury/tear.
Redness and warmth to the touch
This may be accompanied by swelling and are considered as signs of inflammation.
Popping and crunching noises
Audible and palpable crepitus accompanied by movement of the knee may indicate cartilage issues. These noises are heard when the joint surfaces are not gliding smoothly on top of one other, causing friction and the wearing of the cartilage.
Knee Joint Pain Treatment Options in Singapore
Your knee pain treatments are dependent on the severity and nature of your injury.
1
Mild injury
e.g. muscle soreness or bruising
Follow the RICE protocol (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
2
Moderate injury
e.g. sprains and knocks but still able to walk
Knee Brace or support
Muscle re-education (activation and strengthening)
Anti-inflammatory medications
Electrotherapy modalities (e.g. ultrasound, radiofrequency therapy)
3
Severe injury
e.g. unable to weight bear, established tears
Use of walking aids (e.g. axillary crutches, walking frame)
May require surgery (an X-ray or MRI scan will be needed)
4
Degenerative injury
e.g. cartilage damage, bone spurs, osteoarthritis
Activity modification
Muscle tension release and strengthening exercises
Knee pain physiotherapy in Singapore
Your initial visit to see a physiotherapist would ensure a correct diagnosis and proper management of your knee pain. This can be achieved through a series of examinations such as gait evaluation, palpation, range of motion measurements, strength measurements, balance assessment and/or swelling measurements.
During the acute stage of the injury, physiotherapy aims to help to reduce pain and inflammation. Gentle massage, muscle activation and electrotherapy modalities can assist with that. It is important that you are participative in rehabilitation as some strengthening and stretching exercises will be given to help fully restore the knee’s function. You also will discuss your goals with your physiotherapist so that there will be a mutual understanding of your expectations.
Knee pain clinic in Singapore
Like any other joints of the body, the knee gets painful when there is an abnormal load on it. When the knee has an ideal alignment, the force going through the knee does not cause injury. Being the centre joint of the leg, abnormal forces from the hip or ankle joint will always have an impact on the knee. At Balance Core, our physiotherapists are always trained to identify the root cause of knee pain. Our assessment of knee pain involves a detailed analysis of functional movements, aggravating movements and the entire lower limb strength, control and flexibility.
Through a series of guided exercises, facilitated muscle stretching, postural advice and activity modifications, we ensure that every client gets quality health care and fastest recovery. To book an appointment, please call us at 64582575, or message us at 91714325
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Statistics show that 40% of elderly Singaporeans have experienced pain in their knees for more than five years, with women being more predisposed to having knee problems than men. There are a few factors that put your knees at the risk of pain and early degeneration.
1) Being overweight or obese increases stress on your knee joints and knee caps, even during ordinary activities such as walking or going up and downstairs. Losing weight can significantly reduce the compressive force on your knees, thus decreases chances of knee pain.
2) Having weak and tight muscles and a previous knee injury can also increase the risk of knee injuries and pain. Strong muscles are needed to stabilize the knee joint and knee cap while good flexibility allows the joint to move through its range of motion.
3) The sports that you play may put greater stress on your knees if it involves high impact pounding on to the joints. This also applies to occupations that involve prolonged standing or excessive heavy lifting.
Common Cause of Knee Pain
Many knee problems result from continual wear and tear on the knee while others result from a sudden movement or an injury that strains the knee. Many structures in the knee can cause pain when injured or strained. These include ligaments, muscles, tendons, joint capsule, cartilage and meniscus.
A traumatic incident such as a blow to the knee or a sudden twist of the knee usually causes a sprained or strained knee ligament or muscle. This may be accompanied by cartilage and menisci tears as well. On the other hand, inflammation of tendons is often due to overuse during certain activities such as jumping, running or cycling. Jumper’s knee is a common condition that often occurs with sports such as basketball, and it presents with tendonitis of the patellar tendon. When the cartilage in the joint gradually wears off due to repeated excess stress on the knee joint, it is known as knee osteoarthritis. Knee osteoarthritis often affects the older population and is the most common cause of their knee problem.
While knee ligament tears are the most common cause of knee pain, let’s learn more about it.
What are Ligament Tears?
Fibrous tissues that connect our bones with other bones are what we call ligaments. It strengthens the joints and allows the movement of the joints to be natural. Because of the high density of collagen, ligaments have high tensile strength. Ligaments also give the brain proprioceptive inputs and encourage the body to conduct complex sports activities. But in some cases, ligaments may get damaged due to excessive bending or twisting of the knee.
Ligament tears are most common for athletes or those who are physically active. Running, jumping, or any other physical activity that involves exerting force on the legs (primarily the knees) usually causes ligament tears. And because the ligaments are an internal organ, most of us are unaware of the strength capacity of it and that wrongly doing the said physical activities can lead to knee pain from ligament tears.
Common Ligament Injuries
Athletes and individuals in Singapore who enjoy high impact and high-speed sports like baseball, badminton, and soccer are most likely to get ligament injuries. This happens as the knee and ankles become vulnerable during the said activities. Some may think that getting enough training and exercise will exempt them from knee injuries, but with just one wrong move can cause a lot of knee pain and lead to knee problems. Below are two of the common ligament injuries one can experience.
ACL TEARS
MCL INJURIES
Symptoms & The Top Treatment Options for a Ligament Tear in Singapore
ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
PCL
Posterior cruciate ligament
MCL
Medial collateral ligament
LCL
Lateral collateral ligament
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Essential Nutrients for Ligament Tear Recovery Singapore
Proteolytic emnzymes
When you’re experiencing a ligament tear, the first thing to do is to reduce inflammation in the area. A way to do so is to consume proteolytic enzyme-rich foods which are particularly helpful because of their anti-inflammatory characteristics. Pineapples, yoghurt, kimchi, ginger roots, and asparagus are foods that are abundant in proteolytic enzymes.
Vitamin C
In combination with Proteolytic Enzymes, Vitamin C also has excellent anti-inflammatory properties and is one of the most essential nutrients our bodies need during a recovery process. Vitamin C is not a body-synthesized vitamin. Therefore patients would have to consume it in order for the body to obtain its benefits. The formation of collagen in the body requires Vitamin C, which is essential in ruptured ligament recovery. Citrus fruits like orange, lemon, lime and vegetables like broccoli and tomatoes are foods high in vitamin C that you may want to add to your diet if you want to heal faster.
Zinc
Zinc is also an excellent mineral for battling inflammation. If one portion of the body is damaged, the zinc found in our body will automatically redirect towards the injured section for inflammation control. There would thus be a zinc deficiency in other areas of the body. It is essential to eat foods rich in zinc such as oysters and veal liver in order to avoid zinc deficiency. Another way to obtain zinc is by taking supplements.
Calories
Physical therapy, a possible surgery procedure and proper nutrition are needed to ensure rapid recovery for ligament injuries. With that said, calories will be needed in the process of healing. The recovery process may slow down if patients try to limit their calorie consumption. It is not hard to obtain good nutrition. Although your movements are limited, you can still ask someone to help you get enough food every day.
Protein
Protein is our body’s building block, and that’s why it is one of the important factors for all healing processes. It’s primarily easy to obtain protein from foods like eggs, soy, and beef. Also, protein deficiency contributes to multiple body ailments. If in the case that you are allergic to certain protein-rich foods, you can opt for supplements which will most likely give you the same benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your physiotherapist will perform a thorough assessment to evaluate the problem and identify the problem’s root cause. A detailed explanation will be given so that you can fully understand your issues and the outline of subsequent physiotherapy treatment plans.
Thereafter, a treatment involving muscle release, specific muscle activation or joint mobilization, etc. will be rendered to provide symptomatic pain relief and address underlying root problems.