Anatomy Dissection 5/6 - Knee, anterior and lateral leg

Question 1

What type of joint is the knee joint?

Answer 1

A synovial hinge joint

Question 2

What are the 3 articulations of the knee?

Answer 2

2 between the femur and tibia; 1 between the femur and patella (fibula does not take part in the knee joint)

Question 3

What are the main movements of the knee joint?

Answer 3

Flexion and extension (when flexed at 90 degrees, a degree of medial and lateral rotation is also achievable)

Question 4

What are the main muscles and nerves involved in flexion of the knee joint?

Answer 4

Hamstrings & gastrocnemius

Tibial and common fibular nerve

Question 5

What are the main muscles and nerve involved in extension of the knee joint?

Answer 5

Quadriceps

Femoral nerve

Question 6

What are the main muscles and nerves involved in medial rotation of the knee?

Answer 6

Hamstrings & gracilis

Tibial and obturator nerves

Question 7

Main muscles and nerves involved in lateral rotation of the knee?

Answer 7

Biceps femoris

Tibial & common fibular nerve

Question 8

What does the knee joint have that attaches around the margins of the articular cartilage and encloses the synovial cavity?

Answer 8

A fibrous capsule

Question 9

What strengthens the fibrous capsule of the knee?

Answer 9

Ligaments

Question 10

What ligaments help to stabilise the knee joint?

Answer 10

Iliotibial tract
Tibial (medial) collateral ligaments
Fibular (lateral) collateral ligametns
Cruciate ligaments (anterior and posterior)

Question 11

What are menisci?

Answer 11

Crescentic discs of fibrocartilage - act as shock absorbers as well as assisting with stabilisation of the curved femoral condyles upon the relatively flatter tibial condyles

Question 12

What is the more well known name for Genu varum?

Answer 12

bow legs

Question 13

What is the more well known name for genu valgam?

Answer 13

Knock knees

Question 14

What do the menisci attach to?

Answer 14

Attach peripheral to the fibrous capsule
Medial meniscus is also attached peripherally to the tibial (medial) collateral ligament (therefore more vulnerable to tearing in a knee injury)
Anchored anteriorly and posteriorly to the tibial intercondylar area

Question 15

What is the “unhappy triad” knee injury?

Answer 15

Partial or full tear of:
ACL
Medial collateral ligament
Medial meniscus

Question 16

Where does the ACL pass in order to attach to the lateral femoral condyle?

Answer 16

Superiorly, laterally and posteriorly

Question 17

What does the ACL prevent?

Answer 17

Anterior displacement of the tibia on the femur and hyperextension of the knee joint

Question 18

What tests the integrity of the ACL?

Answer 18

The anterior drawer test or Lachmans test

Question 19

Where does the PCL pass in order to attach to the medial femoral condyle?

Answer 19

Superiorly and anteriroly

Question 20

What are the attachments of the ACL?

Answer 20

Intercondylar eminence of the tibia

Lateral femoral condyle

Question 21

What are the attachments of the PCL?

Answer 21

Intercondylar eminence of the tibia

Medial femoral condyle

Question 22

What does the PCL prevent?

Answer 22

Posterior displacement of the tibia on the femur and hyeprflexion of the joint

Question 23

What tests the integrity of the posterior cruciate ligament?

Answer 23

Posterior drawer test

Question 24

What are bursae?

Answer 24

Bursae are thin, lubricated cushions located at points of friction between a bone and the surrounding soft tissue, such as skin, muscles, ligaments and tendons

Question 25

How does the supra-patellar bursa differ from the subcutaneous bursae?

Answer 25

It is an extension of the synovial cavity

Question 26

What does the presence of the supra-patellar bursa do?

Answer 26

Reduces friction of the quadriceps tendon during knee movement

Question 27

Where does the common fibular never enter the anterior leg?

Answer 27

From the popliteal fossa superficial to the neck of the fibula

Question 28

What does the common fibular nerve divide into? Where?

Answer 28

The superficial fibular nerve
The deep fibular nerve
At the fibular neck

Question 29

What does the superficial fibular nerve supply?

Answer 29

The muscle of the lateral compartment of the leg

The skin/ fascia of the dorsum of the foot

Question 30

What does the deep fibular nerve supply?

Answer 30

The muscles of the anterior compartment of the leg

Skin of the first interdigital cleft

Question 31

What do all muscles of anterior leg attach proximally to?

Answer 31

Tibia, fibula or interosseous membrane

Question 32

What does the tibias anterior attach distally to?

Answer 32

Base of the 1st metatarsal and medial cuneiform

Question 33

What does the extensor hallicus longus attach distally to?

Answer 33

Distal phalanges of the great toe

Question 34

What does the extensor digitorum longus attach distally to?

Answer 34

All digits

Question 35

What does the Fibularis Tertius attach distally to?

Answer 35

The base of the 5th metatarsal

Question 36

What are the main actions of the anterior muscles of the leg?

Answer 36

Dorsiflexion of the ankle, great toe and digits
Inversion (tibialis anterior - in combination with tibialis posterior) and eversion (fibularis tetras with fibulas longus and brevis) of the foot

Question 37

What separates the anterior and lateral compartment of the leg?

Answer 37

Anterior intermuscular septum

Question 38

What muscles are contained within the lateral compartment of the leg?

Answer 38

Fibularis longus

Fibularis brevis

Question 39

Where does fibularis longus attach?

Answer 39

Fibula proximally

Plantar surface of the bases of the 1st metatarsal

Question 40

Where does the fibularis brevis attach?

Answer 40

Fibula proximally

Plantar surface of the 5th metatarsal

Question 41

What are the main actions of the fibulas muscles (lateral leg)?

Answer 41

Eversion of the foot