Knee pain is very common, in fact one in three Americans older than age 45 reports some type of knee pain. You can also suffer from knee pain as the result of a work accident injury. There are many types of injuries that can cause you to have knee pain such a ligament or tendon injuries, both of these could easily happen to you at your job depending on what kind of work you do. There are different types of knee injuries a person can get, your knee is made up of ligaments and tendons and is very complex and therefore, it is possible to injure different areas of your knee. Listed below are a few examples:

This occurs when you tear one of your ligaments. The two main ligaments in your leg stretch across each other diagonally from the bottom of your thighbone to the top of your shinbone. They are your PCL and ACL ligaments.

Symptoms include:

• Instant pain that gets worse as you walk or bend your knee
• Popping sounds
• You can’t put your weight on the injured knee
• Your knee feels like it might give way or buckle

Tendinitis is a good example of a tendon injury. Tendonitis is basically irritation or inflammation or one or more of your tendons. Tendons are the thick fibrous cords that attach your muscles to your bones.

• Pain
• Swelling of the front of your knee
• Inability to entirely extend or straighten your knee

Your knee dislocates when the triangular bone that covers the front of your knee slips out of place. It usually slips to the outside of your knee, if your knee dislocates it will be visible.

• Intense pain
• Swelling
• Trouble walking or straightening your knee

There are certain causes or risk factors that may lead to a knee injury. Overuse or repetitive use of the area can cause a knee injury. If you work in a factory where you are always on your feet and doing heavy lifting you may be more prone to getting a knee injury. The muscles around your joints can get tired which puts stress on your knee and can cause your knee to become inflamed. This can also damage the tissue in your knee. If you already have weak muscles and you work at a job that requires you to put a lot of stress on your knees you might want to consider strengthening your muscles, otherwise, it could lead to an injury. Not having strength and flexibility in your knee muscles are one of the leading causes of knee injuries.

If you go to your doctor regarding knee pain you are having or a knee injury that you got a work you will need to be examined. Most likely your doctor will check the range of motion you have in your knee. If you have injured your ACL or PCL you will most likely do a Lachman test which will help your doctor to detect your injuries.

If your injuries aren’t apparent to the doctor he or she may perform an MRI or CT scan to get a better look at your knee. X-rays can’t show the doctor your ligaments and tendons, but if he or she suspects that you might have a broken bone then they will take x-rays. 

 There are self-care measures you can take to help your knee pain such as protecting your knee from anymore damage. To protect your knee you can use a compression wrap or for more serious injuries you might use crutches or a brace. You also need to rest, ice, and elevate the injured knee.

Your doctor may recommend physical therapy to help strengthen the muscles around your knee. There may be surgical options available to you as well depending on the circumstances of your injury and what is right for you.

You never know when you might get hurt at work. If you or someone you know has been injured on the job and would like to know what you should do next, our workers’ compensation attorney, Corey J.L. Walker at Walker, Billingsley & Bair is here to answer your questions. Corey is dedicated to leveling the field between insurance companies and injured Iowans. He has represented hundreds of Iowans hurt at work from Des Moines, Pella, Grinnell, Newton, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Knoxville, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa and from throughout the state of Iowa.

No one knows when they are going to be involved in a car accident, the best thing you can do is prepare yourself, your family, and your car. Car accidents happen all the time, they can’t always be prevented, but there are safety precautions you can take to help to prevent an accident. This can be done by making sure your car is the safest it can be for you and your family. Also, knowing what you need to do in case you are in an accident can help protect you as well. Whether you have a car or are looking for a new one, there are certain features you should consider that may be important in keeping you safe while driving.

·         Stability Control- if you start to swerve or go off the road the car will automatically slow down and try to get you back on track

·         Navigation System- helps you find your destination without having to look at directions or a map. This allows you to give your full concentration to the road

·         Side-impact airbags- these airbags would help absorb the blow if you are hit from the side

·         Rear parking sensors- this feature will let you know when you are getting too close to a car while backing up.

·         Good tires- having good tires can keep you from getting a flat or losing control due to worn tires

·         Buying a car instead of an SUV- studies show that SUVs are more likely to roll than cars, because they are higher off the ground so you may want to consider buying or driving a car instead.

If are involved in an accident there are many steps you need to take after it happens if you are able to. If you are involved in a low impact crash and there aren’t serious injuries you should move your car out of the roadway, off to the side if you are able to drive your car, this will help prevent another accident from happening.

You should always exchange information with the other driver for insurance purposes as well as the description of the other car and location of the accident. Having a camera in your car at all times is a great idea, because you would want to photograph the accident so you can show the damages to your car properly.

If you keep an emergency kit in your glove box you will be set. Emergency kits usually include a pen or pencil, note pad for taking notes, and a disposable camera. You can buy accidents for your car or Walker, Billingsley & Bair offers them to people who simply go online and review our new website, we will then send you our car accident kit for free after you review our website and provide us with your information.

There are many things you can do to prepare yourself for an accident; however, it won’t fully prevent you from ever being in an accident. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident our team of attorneys at Walker, Billingsley & Bair are here to help answer your questions.

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