Hip and Knee Clinical Flashcards
What type of joint is the hip?
Synovial ball and socket
What are the features of the hip joint?
- Sacrifices mobility for stability
- Congruity of articulating surfaces
- Deepened by labrum acetabulare (fibroelastic cartilage)
- Strong ligaments (intra- and extra-articular) and capsule
- Strong large muscles
What is the strongest ligament in the body?
Iliofemoral Y shaped ligament (otherwise known as ligament of Bigelow)
What stabilises the hip?
- Labrum
- Congruity
- Capsule
- Ligaments
- Ligamentum teres
- Muscles
What nerves are associated with the hip?
- Femoral (Anterior, knee extension)
- Obturator (Medial, hip adduction)
- Sciatic (Posterior, hip external rotation, knee flexion)
- Superior gluteal (Posterior, hip abduction and extension)
What is the appearance of a dislocated hip?
- Posterior dislocation
- Leg short
- Internal rotation
- High energy
What is the blood supply to the head of the femur?
- Ligamentum Teres
- Retinacular vessels
- The Trochanteric anastomosis
- Capsular attachment
What are the 3 compartments of the knee joint?
- Medial tibiofemoral
- Lateral tibiofemoral
- Patellofemoral
What type of joint is the knee?
Synovial hinge
How is the cartilage of the knee nourished?
-Articular cartilage is vascular but nutrients received through the synovial fluid
What are the features of the capsule of the knee joint?
- Large (connects with large suprapatellar pouch)
- Uneven thickness (bulges where thin if excess fluid in joint – effusion; n.b. Baker’s cyst in popliteal fossa – one-way valve effect)
- Lined completely by synovial membrane (inflamed = synovitis – swollen, red, painful
What is the normal ‘Q’ angle?
- 14 in males
- 17 in females
What is genu varum?
Bow legs
What is genu valgum?
Knock knees
What are the menisci?
-Medial and lateral c-shaped fibroelastic cartilage present in the knee joint
