A Glimpse At The Anatomy of a Knee

Knowing what holds the knee together is the first step in getting you closer to identifying any issues you may have.The knee is comprised a several different components, which I have listed and explained below.The BonesThere are four major bones involved in keeping the knee together and making sure that everything moves smoothly. They are:- Shin bone (tibia)
- Calf bone (fibula)
- Kneecap (patella)
- Thigh bone (femur)The LigamentsLigaments are thick connective tissues that link one major bone to another major bone, around a joint. There are four major ligaments surrounding the knee joint:- MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) - This ligament stabilizes the knee joint and controls the side to side movement. It runs down the inside of your knee joint.- LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament) - This ligament also controls the side to side movement. Runs on the outside of your knee.- ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) - Controls the backward and forward motion and stops the shin bone from moving ahead of the femur.- PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) - Also helps control the backward and forward motion.The Meniscus/cartilageThe lateral meniscus and medial meniscus are used as shock absorbers between the four knee bones. These are an extremely important part of the knee structure. (Just imagine the pain you would feel walking bone on bone and you'll understand). There is also the articular cartilage which you will find at the end of any bone that is part of a joint. Synovial fluid covers this cartilage, which makes it easier for the bones to move together.


The Muscles and TendonsThere are several muscles surrounding the knees which provide it with protection as well as ensuring that an appropriate level of force passes through the joint, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and the calf muscles. It is important to keep these muscles strong and active, especially if you have already experienced a knee injury. Having strong and active muscles surrounding your knee diminishes the amount of "work" your ligaments must do during regular activities. Tendons are essentially soft tissues which link the major muscles to the bones and assist in stabilizing the knee.The BursaeThese are little bags of fluid which are located around the joint and their purpose is to provide cushioning between all the ligaments, muscles, bones and tendons. There are approximately 13-14 of these bags around the knee area.