Arthrology and Syndesmology of the Knee Joint Flashcards
Knee joint
- Largest joint in body
- Compound joint: 2 joints - tibia and femur (condylar joint) and patella and femur (saddle/sellar joint)
- One synovial membrane
- One cavity
Tibia femur condylar joint
- 10-12 degrees from midline
- Exaggeration of this angle is considered genu valgum
Movement of condyloid joint
o Hinge
o Gliding
o Rotation
o Mechanically weak- gains strength from tendons
Articular surfaces of knee joint
o Lined with articular cartilage
o Tibia- flat articular surface
o Femoral- rounded
Nerve supply to knee joint
o articular branches of femoral nerve
o obturator nerve
o common peroneal nerve
o tibial nerve
Blood supply to knee joint
o Genicular anastomosis from descending genicular branch of femoral artery
o Genicular popliteal artery
o Recurrent branches of anterior tibial artery
o Descending branch lateral femoral circumflex artery
o Circumflex fibular artery
Ligaments of articulating bones
- Articular capsule
- Quadriceps tendon
- Patellar ligament
- Lateral collateral ligaments
- Anterolateral ligament
- Medial collateral ligament
- Oblique popliteal ligament
- Arcuate popliteal
- Anterior cruciate ligament
- Posterior cruciate ligament
- Medial meniscus
- Lateral meniscus
- Transverse ligament
Articular capsule
- Incomplete anteriorly, replaced by medial and lateral retinacula of the quadriceps tendon
- Anteriorly attached to the margins of the articulating surface
- Laterally, the tendon of popliteus muscle pierces the articular capsule
- Inside the articular capsule there is synovial membrane
Quadriceps tendon
Inserts onto patella
Patellar ligament
o Continuation quadriceps tendon
o Attaches tibial tuberosity
o Strong flat band anterior/inferior part of joint
o 8 cm long
o Infrapatellar fat pad- Inferior surface separates synovial membrane
o Infrapatellar bursa- protects ligament from tibia
Lateral collateral ligaments
o Strong round fibrous
o Attaches proximally to lateral epicondle of femur above groove for poplieus muscle
o Attaches distally on the head of the fibula (lateral side)
o LCL is covered by tendon of biceps femoris muscle – splits for attachment onto fibular head on either side of LCL
o NOT attached to capsule or lateral meniscus
o Tendon of popliteus muscle runs deep to LCL
o Separated from lateral meniscus by articular capsule & tendon of popliteus muscle
Anterolateral ligament
o Proximal attachment to lateral femoral condyle anterior to proximal attachment of LCL w/ connecting fibers between the two ligaments
o Courses obliquely
o Distal attachment is to the anterolateral aspect of the tibia between Gerdy’s tubercle and the apex of the fibula
o Distal attachment is the lateral meniscus
o Function is to check internal rotation between 30-90 degrees of knee flexion
Medial collateral ligament
o Broad flat band 10 cm long
o Proximal attachment to medial epicondyle of femur below adductor tubercle
o Distal attachment to medial surface of tibia 2-3 cm long
o Pes anseurinum (SGT) crosses the medial collateral ligament superiorly
o Distal attachment site is the medial meniscus
o Capsule is found below ligament
Oblique popliteal ligament
- Strengthens knee joint posteriorly
- It is a distal expansion of the semimembranosus muscle
- It courses obliquely from the medial condyle of the tibia to the lateral condyle of the femur
- It forms the floor of the popliteal fossa
- Oblique popliteal ligament is perforated by the medial genicular artery on its way to the knee joint
Arcuate popliteal ligament
- Thickened capsular fibers are found over the popliteus tendon
- Arcuate popliteal ligament courses medially from the lateral condyle of the tibia and head of the fibula to the posterior intercondylar area of the tibia
