Knee Evaluation/Landamarks Flashcards
questions to ask
-does knee give way (ligamentous tear)
-does your knee feel like It locks (cartilage or meniscus tear)
-pain up and down stairs
tibial tuberosity
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
Patella Tendon
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
patella
largest sesamoid bone in the body, medial and lateral border, superior and inferior pole
superior pole pain
worry about quad tendon being pulled off
inferior pole pain
worry about patella tendon being pulled off (jumpers knee)
medial border pain
plica- more common in females than males, common in middle school- pain in synovial tissue
lateral border pain
can be many things - cartilage issue
infrapatellar fat pad (Hoff’s fat pad)
not palpable- located just behind the inferior pole of the patella
trochlear groove
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
prepatellar bursa
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
popliteal fossa
-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
how to recognize popliteal artery
-more pain than normal
-loss of circulation
-any sensory deficiency
bakers cyst
irritation of nerves that happens at the popliteal fossa-benign
-common in catchers
head of the gastrocnemius (medial and lateral)
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
medial and lateral tibial plateaus
-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
fibular head
go tp the joint space- slide inferior and you will be on the head
neck of the fibula
just inferior to the head of the fibula
peroneal nerve
slide just posterior to the neck of the fibula
Gerdy’s tubercle
make sure you’re on the fibula head
-little bump slide anterior
-also called lateral tibial condyle
IT band
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
medial and lateral femoral condyles and epicondyles
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
adductor tubercle
-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
pes anserine
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
