Knee Injuries

Knee problems are common not only in the world of sport but also in the workplace.  Often knee injuries in the workplace are a result of a sudden traumatic impact but there are also a significant number that are a result of prolonged wear and tear.

Knee injuries take a variety of different forms, for example a tendon knee injury which can be serious as the tendons in the knee hold the upper and lower part of the leg together as well as the knee cap.

A cartilage injury will cause serious pain and discomfort in the knee joint and will restrict mobility. Damage to the knee can cause lesions to the articular lining cartilage in the knee joint, or sometimes to both the cartilage and the bone. Symptoms may include swelling and pain when bending the knee.

If a piece of cartilage or bone has become detached in the knee and the injury is not treated immediately, the loose part can ‘swim around’ in the joint. This means that it may occasionally get stuck, causing pain and a feeling that the knee is locked. The knee may also click and swell up. Such a condition is called a loose body in the knee.

The ligaments in the knee are the fibrous structures which help to support the lower and upper parts of the leg. A knee ligament injury can cause considerable pain and discomfort.  A ligament injury may occur when the knee is strained from the inside, but more often than not, it will be caused by a strain from the outside. For example, if the outside of the knee is hit or kicked with great force. As the knee is pressed together on the outside and forced apart on the inside, the ligaments on the inside of the knee will be injured.
A ligament injury may also occur in connection with a twist within the knee joint itself without any external pressure being applied.
When a collateral ligament is damaged, the extent of the damage may vary from just a small crack in one of the small ligaments to a total rupture of the exterior or interior collateral ligament.
A ligament injury may be accompanied by major or minor swelling of the knee joint.

Another form of knee injury known as handmaid’s knee in the past, beat knee or bursitis is caused because of repetitive wear and tear resulting in the inflammation of the bursa.  This inflammation will reduce mobility and cause pain and discomfort.

Also sometimes called Miner’s knee because it’s association with miners who spend a great deal of their working lives kneeling on hard surfaces, Bursitis is a type of arthritis of the knee.  In 2007 thousands of miners with arthritis of the knee made compensation claims because they were suffering with knee problems as a result of years of repetitive work in cramped conditions.
If you have suffered a knee injury in the workplace which was not your fault you should consult a personal injury lawyer who will be able to advise you whether a personal injury claim is appropriate in your case.