Knee joint

Question 1

True or false?

The knee joint is the second largest synovial joint after the elbow joint.

Answer 1

False, the knee joint is the largest.

Question 2

What does the knee joint consist of?

Answer 2

The patellar-femoral joint which allows less tendon wear and the weight bearing of femoro-tibial joint.

Question 3

True or false?

The patellar ligament becomes the quadriceps femoris tendon above the apex of patella!

Answer 3

True

Question 4

True or false?

The joints, articular surfaces, and the menisci are separted in 4 different capsules!

Answer 4

False, they are all encapsulated in one capsule.

Question 5

What do the articular surfaces of the femoro-tibial joint for flexion look like?

Answer 5

It is rounded and curved.

Question 6

What do the articular surfaces that support extension of the knee look like?

Answer 6

The are flattened.

Question 7

Why is the lateral meniscus more mobile than the medial meniscus?

Answer 7

Because it is not attached to the joint capsule.

This actually makes it more prone to injuries.

Question 8

What ligament connects the menisci?

Answer 8

The transverse knee ligament.

Question 9

What is an attachment that only the lateral menisci have?

Answer 9

Attachments to the popliteal tendon.

Question 10

True or false?

The two cruciate ligaments are not located in the articular capsules but are encased in fibrous joints.

Answer 10

True

The cruciate ligaments are connected between the intracondylar region of the femur and the tibia, forming a U-shaped articular joint.

Question 11

What separates the synovial membrane from the synovial ligament?

Answer 11

The infrapatellar fat fold.

Question 12

What is the fold formed by the deepening of infrapatellar fat into the articular capsule?

Answer 12

The alar folds.

Question 13

What are the 2 pouches of the knee joint that serve to decrease friction?

Answer 13

1. The subpopliteal recess between the popliteal tendon and the lateral meniscus
2. The suprapatellar bursa projecting anterosuperiorly, located between the distal shaft of the femur and the rectus femoris tendon

Question 14

What are the bursae of the patellar region?

Answer 14

Prepatellar, subcutaneous, deep, and suprapatellar bursae.

The “infrapatellar” is for fat.

Question 15

What is the fibrous membrane?

Answer 15

An interconnected scaffolding network formed by tendons and ligaments.

Question 17

What are the 3 fibrous membranes?

Answer 17

The medial, lateral, and anterior

Question 18

Does the medial fibrous membrane blend with the collateral tibial ligament?

Answer 18

Yes

The inner side of the medial fibrous membrane blends with the medial meniscus.

Question 19

Does the lateral fibrous membrane blend with the fibular collateral ligament?

Answer 19

No it doesn’t, it is separated by a bursa.

The inner side of the lateral fibrous membrane doesn’t blend with the lateral meniscus.

Question 21

What is an extra strengthener of the fibrous membrane on the medial side?

Answer 21

The posteromedial aspect of the fibrous membrane is strengthtened by the continuation of the semimembranosus tendon, the oblique popliteal ligament.

The oblique popliteal ligament crosses posteriorly from medial to posterior.

Question 22

What is an extra strengthtener of the fibrous membrane on the lateral side?

Answer 22

Anterolaterally, the continuation of the iliotibial tract strengthtens the lateral fibrous membrane.

Question 23

What does the popliteus muscle pass through in the aperture?

Answer 23

The posterolateral aperture of the fibrous membrane.

It begins at the lateral condyle of the femur and ends at the medial condyle of the tibia.

Question 24

What is the attachment of the patellar ligament?

Answer 24

Above to the apex and margins of the patella and below to the tibial tuberosity.

Question 25

What is the course of ACL?

Answer 25

The ACL begins at the anterior of the intracondylar region of the tibia and ends at the posterior aspect of the intracondylar region of the femur.

Question 26

What are the 2 locking mechanisms of the knee joint?

Answer 26

1) The change in articular surface size during flexion and rotation;
2) Medial rotation of the femur on the tibia during extension;
3) The line of gravity is positioned anterior to the knee joint, making it

Question 27

How does the popliteus muscle unlock the knee joint?

Answer 27

The popliteus muscle causes lateral rotation of the knee joint.

Question 28

What is a procedure used to assess the knee joint?

Answer 28

Arthroscopy.