Work related knee injuries generally involve sudden onset of pain as the result of a specific action or develop gradually over time resulting in what we call Gillette injuries. Gillette refers to a Minnesota Supreme Court case recognizing that many injuries can take
weeks, months or even years to develop.
Our bodies have 4 ligaments in the knee, which work in the pairs. The anterior cruciate ligament and posterior cruciate ligament control the forwards and backwards movement of the knee in order to provide the majority of the knee’s sta
bility. The medial and lateral collateral ligaments provide side to side stability for the knee.
Ligaments are usually injured by sudden twisting movements, or when a great deal of force go
es through part of the knee , ie a fall at work on to your knees.
1) ACL Injuries
What is it: Anterior
Cruciate Ligament gets overstretched and tears/ruptures
Causes: Knee bending the wrong way, pushing back too far or twisting of the knee
Immediate Symptoms: Popping sound, swelling, pain, giving way
Long Term Consequences: Lack of stability with pivoting and twisting
Treatment: Exercise rehab and/or surgery.
2) MCL Tear
What is it: Damage to some or all of the fibres of the Medial Collateral Ligament.
Causes: Force through the outside of the knee eg tackle, sudden twisting of the knee eg skiing
Symptoms: Inner knee pain, swelling, instability, difficulty bending the knee
Treatment: PRICE, exercises, knee brace.
3) Knee Strain
What is it: Overstretching any of the knee ligaments which tears some of the tissue. This is one of the most common knee injuries
Causes: sudden force through the knee or sudden twisting
Symptoms: knee pain, swelling, instability, difficulty bending and straightening the knee
Treatment: PRICE, exercises, knee braces.
Cartilage Injury
The knee joint is lined with 2 types of cartilage, articular cartilage which lines the bones and then a second layer of cartilage known as the meniscus. The meniscus works like special cushioning to reduce the force going through the knee bones.
1) Meniscus Tear
What is it: Tear in the cartilage lining the knee joint. This is one of the most common knee injuries
Causes: a) Suddenly – force through the knee or sudden twisting of the knee, or b) Gradually – through wear and tear ie arthritis
Symptoms: knee pain, swelling, locking, instability, difficulty straightening the knee, difficulty walking
Treatment: PRICE, exercises, knee brace, tubigrip, sometimes requires surgery. Can take a long time to heal.
If you have sustained a work related knee injury, contact Atkinson Gerber Law Office today for a free consultation. You can either call us at 651-333-3636 or contact our office by email. Your consultation is absolutely free and there is no pressure to act. We meet with hundreds of injured workers every year to discuss potentional work injuries. Many times we simply offer free advice and other times we discover imporant benefits that you were simply never told about. Call today 24/7.
