Every athlete is prone to knee injuries. This applies in particular if you engage in extreme sports that require continuous movements, which put so much pressure on your joints and ligaments. Data from the National Health Statistics Reports shows that between 2011 and 2014, about 8.6 million sports- and recreation-related injury episodes occur annually.

No matter how careful you are, any mistake could lead to a painful knee injury. If your opponent or teammate is not as careful as you are, you might suffer from any form of knee problem due to incorrect landing or a direct blow to your knee.

Good thing technological advancements allowed for the development of effective treatment methods for sports-related knee injuries. Physical therapy is one of them.

Types and Causes of Knee Injuries

Physical therapy is an effective treatment option for a variety of conditions, including back pain, trauma, muscle pain, and sports-related injuries. If you’re playing basketball or football, whether as a profession or recreational activity, you might need the help of a licensed and experienced physical therapist if you suffer from the following knee injuries:

• ACL Injury – This occurs when the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is torn due to non-contact mechanisms, such as deceleration, awkward landing, or a sudden change of direction. It may also be the result of a direct contact with another player or object. Approximately 200,000 ACL injuries are reported
• MCL Injury – The medial collateral ligament (MCL) prevents the leg from over-extending inward. It is also part of the mechanism that allows your knees to rotate. MCL injury occurs when something directly hits the outside of the knee, causing the MCL and other ligaments, such as the ACL, to stretch or tear.
• PCL Injury – Almost 20% of injuries to knee ligaments are posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears. PCL injuries are common among football, soccer, and baseball players, as well as skiers. It usually occurs when something hits the knee while it’s bent.
• LCL Injury – Like the MCL, the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) helps stabilize the knee as it moves or rotates. Direct blows to the inside of the knee are the leading causes of injuries or tears to the LCL.

Famous Athletes Who Successfully Recovered from Knee Injuries

Injuries are part of an athlete’s life, and if you’re a pro, you cannot afford to sit down and watch your teammates struggle to win – or worse – lose the game because you’re injured. Thanks to modern physical therapy programs, famous athletes have been recovering faster than ever.

The following athletes owe their prolonged career and success to countless sessions with their physical therapists.

• Kobe Bryant, Retired Los Angeles Lakers Superstar (Torn ACL at the end of the 2013 NBA season)
• Derrick Rose, Former Chicago Bulls Superstar (Torn ACL in the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs)
• David West, Former Charlotte Hornets Forward (Torn ACL in 2011)

If we are to include non-NBA athletes, Tom Brady is sure to top the list. The New England Patriots Quarterback had to undergo four ACL reconstruction for an injury on opening day in 2008.

These athletes are the living proof that physical therapy really helps a patient recover from an otherwise debilitating or “career-ending” injury. They managed to come back to their respective leagues and continue their legacy.

Importance of Physical Therapy

Other than innovative knee surgery, physical therapy proved to be an effective supplementary treatment for sports-related knee injuries. If you or someone you know suffers the same fate as your favorite professional athletes, Buffalo Back and Neck Physical Therapy is here to help.

We provide proper injury management combined with physical therapy to restore your ligaments’ normal flexibility and durability. Our programs also aim to help you get back on the field or hard court as soon as possible and reduce the risks of future knee injuries.

Contact us today to discuss your condition and schedule an appointment.