Brief Anatomy Of The Knee
The knee is a delicate joint that bears a good deal of strain from performing everyday activities, such as kneeling and lifting as well as high intensity activities such as aerobics and jogging. To get an understanding about the knee problems, we must closely look at the anatomical structures which are working together to bring about all the movements of the knee. Following is a brief description of the important anatomical structures of the knee:
- Bone –Each one of the three bones works in harmony with each other to bring about the knee movements.
- Patella – It is the kneecap
- Femur – It is the upper leg or thigh bone
- Tibia – It is the largest bone or the shin bone of the lower leg
- Tendons – Tendons are strong cords of tissue that connect bones to muscles.
- Muscles – There are two groups of muscles, i.e., hamstring muscles and quadriceps muscles which help in the bending of the leg at knee and straightening the leg respectively.
- Ligaments – Ligaments are elastic cords of tissues which connect bone to bone. Some ligaments limit the forward and backward movement of the shin bone, while others protect the joints and provide the stability to the knee.
- Cartilage – Each bone end has a layer of cartilage which protects the knee, provides stability in movements, and act as a shock absorber.