05/15/2023
The knee is INCREDIBLY important, and here are shocking facts we bet you didn't know.
1. Every year, nearly 6 million people head to the emergency room due to knee injuries in the U.S. alone!
2. The knee, it's not just one joint, but two. Surprise!
3. Medically speaking, your knee is made up of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints. Who knew?
4. Women are up to 8 times more likely to suffer ACL tears than men. Why? Hormones and biomechanics play a part.
5. There's a whole world inside your knee: cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and even two C-shaped pieces of cartilage called menisci.
6. It may surprise you, but knee replacement surgery is actually one of the most common bone surgeries in the U.S.
7. Over 600,000 knee replacements are performed each year in America. That's roughly equivalent to the population of Vermont!
8. Knee pain? Could be osteoarthritis. It's the most common form of arthritis and a frequent reason why people get knee replacements.
9. The shocker? Even teenagers can suffer from osteoarthritis.
10. The youngest recorded person to have a knee replacement was 16.
11. Next time you're running, remember: the force on your knees is up to 6 times your body weight. Ouch!
12. Think you're safe from knee injuries as a swimmer? Think again. Freestyle, breaststroke, and butterfly all put stress on your knees.
13. Did you know that knee replacement isn't a true "replacement"? The procedure involves resurfacing the bones that meet at the knee.
14. Knee replacements don't last forever. Generally, they survive about 15-20 years.
15. Many people don't realize that most of the pain after knee surgery comes from the soft tissue damage, not the bone.
16. The knee is the largest joint in your body and perhaps the most complicated. It's a marvel of engineering!
17. People with a prior knee injury are up to 6 times more likely to have another. Protect those knees!
18. In a knee replacement surgery, the kneecap is often flipped over, rather than removed. Yikes!
19. Athletes, beware! The sports with the highest rates of knee injuries are football, skiing, and basketball.
20. And the zinger: knee replacements are expected to increase by nearly 200% by 2030. That's a lot of bionic knees!
Manual physical therapy is a PROVEN way to help with knee pain and knee injuries.
Of course we also promote PREVENTION and at-home solutions as well. Check our profile for knee-related exercises!