Functional Anatomy of the Knee
Original Editor - User Name
Top Contributors - Ewa Jaraczewska, Jess Bell and Tony Lowe
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Knee Structure[edit | edit source]
The knee joint include four bones: distal end of the femur, proximal end of the tibia, patella and the proximal part of the fibula. Only the fibula is indirectly involved in the knee joint.
- Prominent lateral and medial condyles are found at the distal end of the femur. Projecting from each condyle is an epicondyle that act as attachment sites for the collateral ligaments. The lateral and medial condyles are separated by the intercondylar notch. [1]
- The proximal end of the tibia terminates in a broad, flat region called the tibial plateau. The intercondylar eminence runs down the midline of the plateau, separating the medial and lateral condyles of the tibia. The two condyles form a flat, broad surface for articulation with the medial and lateral condyles of the femur. [2]
- The patella articulates with the femur to form the patellofemoral joint.
- A enlarged pointed head and small neck form the proximal part of the fibula.
Bones and Articulations of the Knee[edit | edit source]
Bones | Articulations | Characteristic | Key palpation |
---|---|---|---|
Tibia
Femur |
Tibiofemoral joint | Joint articulation occurs between the medial and lateral femoral and tibial condyles. The tibiofemoral joint has two crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structures, a lateral and a medial meniscus, attached to the tibial plateaus through coronary ligaments. Both menisci are concaved superiorly to accommodate the surfaces of the femoral condyles. Its role is to increase the area of contact between the tibial and femoral articular surfaces. | Femoral epicondyle
Tibial tubersity |
Femur
Patella |
Patellofemoral joint | ||
Tibia
Fibula |
Superior Tibiofibular joint |
Knee Kinematics[edit | edit source]
Joint | Type of Joint | Plane of Movement | Motion | Kinematics | Closed pack position | Open pack position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tibiofemoral (TFJ) | Hinge | |||||
Patellofemoral Joint (PFJ) | ||||||
Superior Talofibular Joint (STFJ) |
Resources[edit | edit source]
- bulleted list
- x
or
- numbered list
- x
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Neumann DA, Kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system: Foundations for rehabilitation. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier, 2010. p520-71.
- ↑ Neumann DA, Knee. In: Neumann DA, editor. Kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system: Foundations for rehabilitation. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier, 2010. p520-71.