Are knee injuries common in kids?
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, osteochondritis dissecans lesions (OCD), meniscus tears, and patellar dislocations or subluxations are common knee injuries in the pediatric population. All of these injuries may cause pain and swelling severe enough for patients to seek medical assistance.
What are some minor knee injuries?
Some of the more common knee injuries include:
- ACL injury. An ACL injury is a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) — one of four ligaments that connect your shinbone to your thighbone.
- Fractures.
- Torn meniscus.
- Knee bursitis.
- Patellar tendinitis.
What is the most common kind of knee injury?
ACL injuries are one of the most common types of knee injuries and account for about 40 percent of all sports-related injuries. An ACL injury can range from a small tear in the ligament to a severe injury –when the ligament completely tears or becomes separated from the bone itself.
Can a 5 year old tear a knee ligament?
Children often tend to fracture before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). However, occasionally it is a pure soft-tissue injury. I have seen isolated ACL tears in 5-year-olds, but this is a very rare age to sustain this injury.
When should I take my child to the doctor for knee pain?
Watch closely for changes in your child’s health, and be sure to contact your doctor if: Your child has tingling, weakness, or numbness in the knee. Your child has any new symptoms, such as swelling. Your child has bruises from a knee injury that last longer than 2 weeks.
What does a knee ligament tear feel like?
Pain, often sudden and severe. A loud pop or snap during the injury. Swelling within the first 24 hours after the injury. A feeling of looseness in the joint.
What is the most common knee injury in teens?
Common knee injuries in kids and teens include: sprains: when a ligament stretches or tears; for example, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear. strains: when a muscle or tendon tears part or all of the way.
What are the most common causes of knee injuries?
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury: This injury is most often caused by twisting the knee, colliding with someone, sudden stops while running, or jumping and landing awkwardly. Non-contact injuries of the ACL are becoming more common than contact injuries.
What happens to your knee when you are a teenager?
Teens may injure a knee in a fall or accident. Active and athletic teens might have overuse knee injuries. These happen when someone trains too much or makes repetitive motions involving the knee. Common knee injuries in teens include: bursitis: swelling of one of the fluid filled sacs that cushion the knee.
How do you treat a knee injury in a child?
Treatment. More serious knee injuries can require surgery to reconstruct the knee if the child has torn ligaments or tendons or bone fractures. During arthroscopy (a minimally invasive surgical technique) surgeons make a small opening in the knee and insert an arthroscope, a tiny tube-like tool, into the joint.