The knee on the face of it seems a very simple structure.
With a simple movement, going forward and back, being utilised everyday. In
work, rest and play.
However what we don’t see, the stuff that goes on beneath
the surface is a feat of design. The function of the knee is to allow support
of the body and to help you lower yourself into positions such as squatting
(sitting). Basically moving your torso up and down as you move through out your
day working or playing a sport.
 |
| Medial Aspect of Knee |
The structure itself has two joints, one a lot more obvious
than the other. That’s where we will begin as it’s the most commonly described
during a&p lessons, qualifications such as gym instructor and personal
trainer courses. The tibio femoral joint brings together the *distal end of the
femur and the *superior aspect of the tibia. The joint has two menisci. The
menisci are avascular structures, meaning a poor blood supply. These two
menisci help support and cushion the joint helping to enable movements such as
rotation. Both articulating bones are covered at the ends by hyaline cartilage,
this helps reduce friction in the joint. The joint itself is a synovial joint
(which means freely movable.). See FIG 1, which demonstrates the basic
structure of a synovial joint. Outlining a joint capsule, synovial membrane.
The tibia itself is linked to the femur by two very
strong ligaments, the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and the PCL (Posterior
cruciate ligament). They both help stabilise the joint and help stop un-needed
twisting between the two bones. They are backed up by two collateral ligaments
that run either side of the knee. They are known as the medial collateral
ligament (MCL) and the Lateral collateral Ligament (LCL). Both strap like and
avascular in nature. Both helping to stabilise the movement
