Knee Evaluation/Landamarks

Question 1

questions to ask

Answer 1

-does knee give way (ligamentous tear)
-does your knee feel like It locks (cartilage or meniscus tear)
-pain up and down stairs

Question 2

tibial tuberosity

Answer 2

the insertion point for the patella tendon
-outgrowth on the superior part of the tibia
*osgood shatters- patella tendon starts to pull off the insertion sight

Question 3

Patella Tendon

Answer 3

run from the inferior part of the patella to the tibial tuberosity- connects patella to tibia- bone to bone
-anti inflammatory
-tendonopathy- tendon doesn’t get inflamed it frays

Question 4

patella

Answer 4

largest sesamoid bone in the body, medial and lateral border, superior and inferior pole

Question 5

superior pole pain

Answer 5

worry about quad tendon being pulled off

Question 6

inferior pole pain

Answer 6

worry about patella tendon being pulled off (jumpers knee)

Question 7

medial border pain

Answer 7

plica- more common in females than males, common in middle school- pain in synovial tissue

Question 8

lateral border pain

Answer 8

can be many things - cartilage issue

Question 9

infrapatellar fat pad (Hoff’s fat pad)

Answer 9

not palpable- located just behind the inferior pole of the patella

Question 10

trochlear groove

Answer 10

on the inferior femur, the space for the patella, the track the patella moves in
-patient seated with legs off of the table, put them into knee flexion and you will have a divot at the superior aspect at the knee
-can be associated with tracking issue

Question 11

prepatellar bursa

Answer 11

not directly palpable- until it turns into bursitis
-located just in front of the patella-between skin and the patella
-synovial fluid that gets trapped can be drained
- looks like motor oil unless there is a tear- grape jelly
-doesnt hurt but affects ROM

Question 12

popliteal fossa

Answer 12

-directly palpable- the space in the back of your knee
-lots of structures run behind it
-popliteal artery- if knee is injured badly enough the artery can be torn-MEDICAL EMERGENCY- can lose the leg

Question 13

how to recognize popliteal artery

Answer 13

-more pain than normal
-loss of circulation
-any sensory deficiency

Question 14

bakers cyst

Answer 14

irritation of nerves that happens at the popliteal fossa-benign
-common in catchers

Question 15

head of the gastrocnemius (medial and lateral)

Answer 15

just inferior to the popliteal fossa-when you ask them to plantarflex you will see the muscle belly split- top portion is the lateral and medial heads

Question 16

medial and lateral tibial plateaus

Answer 16

-top flattened portion of the tibia
-we can see fractures here
-go to the inferior femur, find the divot/joint space- push down and that is the tibial plateau

Question 17

fibular head

Answer 17

go tp the joint space- slide inferior and you will be on the head

Question 18

neck of the fibula

Answer 18

just inferior to the head of the fibula

Question 19

peroneal nerve

Answer 19

slide just posterior to the neck of the fibula

Question 20

Gerdy’s tubercle

Answer 20

make sure you’re on the fibula head
-little bump slide anterior
-also called lateral tibial condyle

Question 21

IT band

Answer 21

IT band syndrome- IT band starts to pull off the femoral or tibial condyle- more common in distance runners
-running same route can do this
-palpation- flexion of knee and find Gerdy’s go into extension

Question 22

medial and lateral femoral condyles and epicondyles

Answer 22

condyles-bony areas just above the joint space
epicondyles- superior to M/L condyles
knee flexion- condyles are just above the joint space, as we move superior we are on the epicondyles
-important on the medial side

Question 23

adductor tubercle

Answer 23

-go to the medial femoral epicondyle- slide posterior then go back anterior towards the bone, it is the bone sticking out- it is a deeper palpation
-if they have a maltracking patella they will have pain here

Question 24

pes anserine

Answer 24

not palpable- is an area- does have. bursa that can irritated
- located on the medial tibial flare- go tot medial tibial plateau- go inferior and slightly posterior- wide part on the medial side
-serves as the insertion point for muscles-avulsion fractures