Hyperextended knee is a common injury that occurs to athletes of all sports, but can also affect anyone. People who play soccer, football, etc. are most commonly affected.
Hyperextend knee can be very unbearable. However, the severity of the injury differs as per the body of the athlete, process of hyperextension, and the cause of the condition. Patients may commonly experience decreased range of motion, swelling, instability or imbalance of injured leg, and extreme local pain.
Hyperextended knee occurs due to forced extension of the knee joint further than its usual range of motion. In such cases, excessive stress is placed upon 1 or more of the knee joint’s 4 main ligaments. Sports like skiing may cause the sudden displacement of the knee joint and cause hyperextension of the knee.
Irrespective of whether hyperextension of knee occurred due to minor or major trauma, it is best for patients to visit a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Symptoms
Some of the common signs and symptoms of hyperextended knee are listed below:
- After the injury, patients may experience localized pain. The pain may be focused in one region, depending on damage or no damage to any of the 4 main ligaments in the knee joint.
- Severe damage to the ligaments and other structures of the knee with hyperextension is always going to be accompanied with immediate intense and sharp pain.
- If there is mild hyperextension of the knee, then the injured knee tends to be less balanced, sturdy, or stable than the unaffected knee. Patients may feel that the injured knee buckles or gives out.
- Patients may also experience limited motion or mobility of the injured knee. Restricted movement occurs due to pain, swelling, and joint weakness and is visible in the form of decreased range of motion.
- If the hyperextended knee is accompanied by damage or tear in the cartilage, ligaments, or other soft inner tissues then bruises may form on the surface of skin.
- Accumulation of fluid or water in the injured knee joint occurs quite often in case of hyperextended knee. Affected people will experience reduced movements of the knee.
Causes
Excess force, pressure, or weight that causes the knee to extend may trigger extension of the knee joint beyond its normal range of motion, thereby leading to swelling, damage to soft tissues, and potential strains or rupture of the LCL/Lateral collateral ligament, MCL/Medial collateral ligament, PCL/Posterior cruciate ligament, or ACL/Anterior cruciate ligament.
Severity of hyperextended knee can be predicted by the manner in which the hyperextension of knee occurred. Traumatic injury to the knee joint is often accompanied by damage to nearby cartilage, ligaments, and soft tissues. Minor injury to knee will cause mild swelling or pain.
A hyperextended knee may occur due to following causes:
- Sudden impact to the front section of the knee which causes the joint to move back may result in tear or strain of the ACL. Such types of impact may happen in physical trauma instances like sliding into a soccer player or tackling the legs of a football player.
- Driving the patella or femur on the tibia and causing increased pressure on 1 or more of the knee joint’s main ligaments can cause hyperextended knee. This type of impact occurs when basketball players suddenly place all the body weight on just one leg to be able to stop at once.
Treatment of hyperextended knee
Treatment of hyperextended knee differs from one patient to another and is dependent on a variety of factors such as the strength of the knee joint, the athletic future of a sportsperson, severity of the hyperextension, and medical history of the patient.
A few treatment options for hyperextended knee are mentioned below:
- RICE, i.e., rest, ice, compress, and elevation of the injured knee
- Anti-inflammatory medicines for reducing swelling of the affected knee joint
- Surgery may be needed in severe cases of hyperextended knee to repair the damage to the joint, ligaments, cartilage, etc. Surgery for hyperextended knee usually involves reconstruction and repair of the meniscus and ligaments.
- Physical therapy will be needed after surgery so as to restore the range of motion and the strength of the injured injury joint.
Some of the exercises that can help strengthen the muscles near the affected knee joint are discussed below. Consult a doctor before proceeding to do these exercises.
- Leg extensions for stimulation of the quadriceps and inner thigh muscles
- Leg raises for strengthening the quadriceps muscles
- Knee bends to work out the quadriceps and hamstrings muscles
- Standing leg lifts to enhance the quadriceps and inner thigh muscles
