Knee pain and knee injuries are quite common in athletes, particularly those in sports that involve running, jumping and quick pivoting. General wear and tear, repetitive stress activities, and arthritis tend to increase the risk of knee injuries for older adults.
Endeavor Health orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist and Chief Medical Officer for the Chicago Fire soccer team, Jason Koh, MD, MBA, highlights three of the most common knee injuries, prevention and treatment strategies:
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common in athletes, and Dr. Koh conducts research related to the mechanics of ACL injuries and how people’s movements can contribute to higher risk of these injuries. “Weak hamstrings and glutes can put more stress on the knee, making it more prone to injuries including ACL tears,” explained Dr. Koh, director of the Endeavor Health Orthopaedic & Spine Institute.
Movement patterns and stability can also play a role in protecting knees. For example, skiers should try to avoid leaning back in their skis, focus on staying stable above the knee, and not falling with crossed skis that can lead to knee trauma and injury, he added.
Many ACL injuries happen with a fall that damages other parts of the knee, including cartilage, meniscus or ligaments. Severe ACL tears and ruptures typically require surgical repair or reconstruction, while some partial tears may respond to physical therapy and non-surgical treatment.
“The good news is that we have very reliable surgical techniques to reconstruct and repair ACLs,” said Dr. Koh.
“Building strength and working to ensure proper biomechanics with movement training can help reduce the risk of knee injuries,” he said, pointing to established resources like the FIFA 11+ injury prevention program designed for soccer players. “It’s inevitable in sports that you’re testing yourself, pushing your limits, so it’s important to have good strength and mobility training in place,” added Dr. Koh.
Meniscus tears are another extremely common injury in athletes and older people. The meniscus is cartilage that helps protect and stabilize the knee joint and, over time, it becomes more brittle and small tears can develop, explained Dr. Koh. Meniscus tears in younger athletes generally happen suddenly during a twisting or turning motion and are often accompanied by sharp pain and sometimes a popping noise.
In addition to pain, meniscus and other cartilage tears and ligament strains can result in swelling and loss of range of motion. When there is persistent swelling and pain, it’s important to see an orthopaedic specialist for a physical exam and, if necessary, imaging to determine the nature of the injury. If you feel a pop and instability in your knee, it’s another important reason to have it looked at, added Dr. Koh.
For high-level athletes, surgery is usually the best option for meniscus tears, said Dr. Koh, but for those in their 50s and 60s with a degenerative tear, they may respond well to physical therapy and other conservative strategies before considering surgical repair.
- Anterior knee pain or chondromalacia, often referred to as runner’s knee, is another common complaint that brings people to see as sports medicine specialist. This is another condition that can respond well to proper physical therapy.
Ongoing research around a host of knee injuries offers great promise for continued advancements in prevention and treatment.
“When injuries occur, it’s our goal to keep people active and pain-free,” said Dr. Koh. “We have great techniques to get people back to playing sports at a high level.”
