Car accidents can leave a person’s body in shambles. Bones, muscles, tendons, and tissues can all get seriously damaged, resulting in the need for immediate medical attention. Victims of car accidents may suffer from terrible knee injuries, that rest and time cannot heal on its own. Millions of people every single year in America go to the doctor due to a knee-related injury. While certain injuries can be healed without surgery, others may need surgical intervention in order to recover.
Here we have gone into further detail about the various ways the knee can get hurt, particularly after sustaining a serious life event such as a car collision:
Knee Fractures
From the force of impact during the vehicle collision, the bones surrounding the knee can get fractured. The most prevalently seen knee injury is a break of the kneecap or patella. High-force traumatic events tend to cause most knee fractures. Victims of car accidents who had a prior condition similar to osteoporosis or arthritis may be more vulnerable to suffering from severe damage.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Damage
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee, runs down the front side of the knee, and helps in providing stability to the joint. ACL injuries are evaluated on a graded scale from 1-3. Grade 1 is often just a mild sprain, while grade 3 means a complete tear of the ligament has occurred.
Meniscus Tearing
When knee cartilage occurs, many doctors may diagnose a meniscus tear. The menisci are wedges of cartilage of a rubbery consistency, that is located between the shin and thighbone. During meniscus cartilage tear, a person may have heard a loud popping sound. Then knee tightness, inflammation, and increased pain can be felt over the days to follow.
Knee Dislocation
If the knee dislocates, this means the bones of the knee have been pushed out of their proper alignment and positioning. With a dislocated knee, a single bone or multiple may have slipped out of placement. Traumatic events such as vehicle crashes can cause dislocations if the force of the impact put immense force onto the knee itself.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament Damage
The back of the knee is where the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is located. It is one of the several ligaments which connect the shin and thighbone. The purpose of the PCL ligament is to prevent the shinbone from moving too far backwards. The posterior cruciate ligament can get injured if substantial force is applied to the knee when in a bent position. The PCL is susceptible to damage if a person falls hard directly onto a knee when bent, or during a car accident while in a sitting position.
Visit a Knee Doctor Promptly
Victims of car accidents may be in such a state of shock, that they don’t realize how much damage has been done to their knee until days or weeks after. It is recommended that anyone in a car accident visits a knee pain doctor in Frederick, MD, such as from the Pain & Spine Specialist of Maryland, LLC, as soon as they begin seeing the very first signs of injury.
