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Knee Conditions
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The knee joint is one
of the most often injured joints in the body. It consists of three main
bones. The femur (thigh bone) articulates against the tibia (shin bone). The
patella (kneecap) also articulates against the femur. An intricate system of
ligaments and muscles provides stability to the knee and allows for painless
range of motion in order to flex and extend this joint. Also, a structure
called a meniscus is present in the knee to act as a shock absorber. There
are actually two menisci in each knee. One is the medial (inside) meniscus
and the other is the lateral (outside) meniscus. These menisci are situated
between the end of the femur and the top of the tibia and serve to absorb the
shock of weight bearing activity, and thereby lessen the forces on the joint
surface of both the femur and tibia. The joint surfaces of the bones are
covered with a very important layer of articular cartilage that allows for
smooth gliding. |
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