Recovering After Knee Injuries in Central California

The knees are quite remarkable, bearing your body weight, helping you move, and serving as shock absorbers.

Since your knee is responsible for much of your movement, this joint also is one of the easiest to injure or develop an orthopedic condition. Millions of people visit their doctor each year for a knee injury.

If you have knee pain and want a knee injury diagnosis from a trusted orthopedic expert, Dignity Health Central California can help. To meet with a specialist about a knee injury in Central California, Find a Doctor today.

Treating All Types of Knee Injuries at Dignity Health Central California

If you have trouble moving your knee or notice  common knee injury symptoms, such as swelling and pain, you may have a knee condition or injury. With fractures and dislocations, your knee can appear out of alignment or misshapen.

Our orthopedic doctors perform knee injury diagnosis with care and kindness for a range of types of knee injuries. The most common include:

• Meniscal tears
• Dislocation
• Sprains
• Fractures
• Ligament injuries
• Tendon tears and tendonitis

Trauma causes most knee injuries and usually affects more than one part of the knee. High-impact trauma, such as a sports injury or car accident, is most often responsible for dislocations, fractures, and tendon and ligament tears. Chronic overuse that places stress on your knee over and over again can lead to tendonitis, tears, and sprains.

Knee Injury Treatment to Get You Moving Again

Your doctor will work closely with you to determine your knee condition and provide the best treatment options for your healing and well-being. Minor knee injuries typically respond to rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). For swelling and minor pain, anti-inflammatory medicines provide effective relief.

For more severe knee conditions, your doctor may also recommend nonsurgical approaches, such as immobilization with a brace, joint injections to reduce swelling, and physical therapy.  Some knee conditions do require surgery, such as ACL surgery or knee replacement, to restore the full function of your knee.

Seek emergency care immediately if:

• You heard a pop with your injury.
• You can’t move your knee or put weight on it.
• You experience severe pain.
• Your knee gave out from the injury.

To find the best treatment with humankindness for your knee injury, meet with an award-winning orthopedic doctor at Dignity Health Central California.

Dignity Health Central California orthopedic doctors are nationally recognized for treating knee injuries in Bakersfield, Merced, San Andreas, and Stockton, CA.