Knee Flashcards
what does the knee joint consist of
medial and lateral compartments of the tibiofemoral joint and the patellofemoral joint
what are the surfaces of the knee covered with
hyaline cartilage
what area of the knee has the thickest hyaline cartilage in the body
retropatellar surface (a reflection of the load placed on the patella especially descending stairs)
which joint contains the fibrocartilaginous menisci
tibiofemoral joint
what does the menisci do
- ensures congruence between concave femoral condyles and the flattish tibial plateau
- important shock absorbers
- distribute load evenly
what are the four main ligaments
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial colateral ligament (MCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL)
what is the role of the ACL
prevents abnormal internal rotation of tibia
how is ACL clinically tested
assessing anterior translation of tibia
what is the role of the PCL
prevents hyperextension and anterior translation of of the tibia
how is the PCL tested
assessing posterior translation of the tibia
what does the MCL do
resists valgus force
what does the LCL do
resists varus force and abnormal external rotation of tibia
