The Knee: general exam - Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is the terrible triad for the knee?
MCL
Medial meniscus
ACL
(This happens w/ excessive valgus)
A pt was running and foot got stuck and they came to a quick stop. They said they felt their knee bend backwards. What kind of injury is this most likely? What is likely to be messed up?
“Felt like knee went backwards”
Hyperextension
ACL (often when the ACL is affected the MCL / medial meniscus are also affected)
NOTE: w/ hyper extension its the femur sliding posterior and the tibia going anterior - which is why its the ACL thats affected
What position is the ACL most taut?
Extension (hints why hyperextension is where we get ACL ruptures)
Extension = femur sliding posterior which means that the tibia is anterior
ACL origin and insertion
Origin: Medial wall of lateral femoral condyle
Insertion: Middle of the anterior intercondylar area of the tibia
KNOW: The knee joint itself isnt that stable (not a deep joint) - however there a lots of ligaments to help w/ that stability
If someone was hit on the lateral knee pushing in what kind of injury would they have?
Valgus style injury (knee pushed in)
Ipsilaterl cutting causes varus or valgus?
Varus
Cutting to the right causes right varus
Whats a more common injury at the knee, a varus or valgus force?
Valgus
Theres an extreme valgus force at the knee. What has likely happened?
The terrible triad happens w/ excessive valgus force
What 3 things happen w/ varus force? (injuries)
LCL
posterolatearl capsule
PCL
NOTE: normally this is from some kind of cutting (you do it to yourself often)
What kind of activity results in a PCL injury
Hyperflexion
Dashboard injuries are normally waht kind of injuries
* Flexion or extension?
* What ligament gets messed up?
Flexion style injury
PCL is damaged
KNOW: w/ PCL injuries the tibia is moving posterior (femur anterior) which is a flexed position causing that ligament to become taut and rupture
**KNOW:
**ACL injury
* Anterior moving tibia
* Posterior moving femur
PCL injury
* Posterior moving tibia
* Anteior moving femur
What is the most common position for a PCL rupture? (2)
Flexion w/ posterior translation
What kind of injury will this person most likely have?
PCL
What kind of injury is this person likely to have? Explain MOI
PCL
They are in a flexed position and when their knee hits the dash board it will posteriorly translate that tibia causing that PCL to become taut and reupture
KNOW: When the knee flexes the PCL becomes taut because the femur actually shifts forward
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yQfHCgndVTM
Whats a grade 3 ligament sprain?
Rupture
What two things can be damaged w/ flexion of the knee?
PCL (duh)
Medial meniscus
What is damaged w/ twisting? (3)
* KNOW: twisting is done in a closed chain environment w/ that toe planted on the ground
ACL
PCL
Meniscus
NOTE: ACL/PCL resist rotatory motions
What muscle could potentially rupture w/ knee hyperflexion?
Quads
KNOW: If theres lots of swelling around the knee I’m thinking more extracapsular (i.e., some kind of muscular rupture). However, if theres not much swelling I’m thinking more intracapsular (think ligaments because most of the ligaments are intracapsular around the knee)
KNOW: 3 kinds of knee injuries
* Accceleration style
* Deceleration style
* Constant speed w/ cutting
Acceleration style knee injuries normally damage what part?
Meniscus
Deleration style injuries in the knee normally injure what? Explain MOI
Cruciate ligaments (ACL/PCL)
As I stop moving on that foot my body weight is going to keep moving forward
* that causes both ACL and PCL to be pulled taut and rupture
* tibia moving posterior (because femur is moving forward)
Constant speed with cutting style injuries cause what to be messed up? Explain MOI
This is a quick stop and turn motion or twisting. This is tibial rotation.
ACL
Pes anserine attaches what 3 muscles
1) Sartours
2) Gracilis
3) Semitendinosis
SGTFOS (sargent FOS)
* Sartours
* Gracilis
* semiTendinosis
* Femoral obturator sciatic innervates
If pt is having anterior knee issues what 5 things am I thinking it could be
1) Patellofemoral pathology
2) Bursa
3) Fat pad
4) Tendinitis/osis
5) Osgood-Schlatter’s disease (younger)
This is a lump more infrapaterlla (tibial tubersoity area)
If pt is having medial knee issue what 5 pathologies am I thinking?
1) MCL sprain
2) Medial meniscus tear
3) Pes anserine bursitits (bursa here)
4) Plica syndrome (you have synovial folds at birth that eventially turn into joint capsule. in some people these little folds invaginate on themselves and become true little folds, and those folds can get caught and stuck in the joint w/ movement)
5) Medial articular cartilage lesion
If pt has vauge aching pain on the back and no MOI what should I look at?
The spine / back
* L3/L4/L1/L2
* Femoral n
Always keep these thoughts in the back of mind w/ vauge pain w/ no MOI
Vauge pain to the medial knee is most likely what n roots? you’re also checking what peripheral nerves
L3/L4
Also check obturatory n / saphenous
what peripheral n innervates posterior knee?
Sciatic n
Pt is having lateral knee pain. What 4 diagnosis am I thinking?
1) LCL sprain
2) Lateral meniscal tear
3) IT band syndrome
4) Lateral articular cartilage injury (think like OA)
KNOW: Medial meniscus is MUCHHHH more likely to have issues than lateral
What 4 patholigies am I thinking if I have a posterior knee pathology?
1) popliteral cyst
2) PCL
3) Distal hamstring injury
4) Proximal gastroc injury
If pt has knee pain whenever they are moving their foot / ankle what am I thinking?
SUPERIOR (proximal) tibiofibular joint (because that rotatory movement distally is going to cause those superior unstable structures to move and cause pain)
If theres aching pain in the knee what kind of pathology am I thinking
More degenerative
* Think OA
Sharp pain / catching in knee its typically what kind of problem?
Mechanical pain (think internal stabilizing components)
* Meniscus or one of our stabilizing ligaments (MCL/LCL/ACL/PCL) (we have special tests to help us differinatite)
* KNOW: medial meniscus more likely than lateral
Pain in knee after activity what pathology am I thinking?
Inflammation
If theres swelling at the knee but no trauma what am I thinking? (3)
Infection
Gout
RA
Knee giving out due to instability. What are 3 kinds of instability that can cause this
Active stabilizer issue (muscles)
Passive stabilizer issue (ligaments)
Neural stabilizer issue (properioceptors sending bad information back to SC)
KNOW: Meniscus can make the knee feel like its giving out
* Subluxation of the knee can also do this
* Osteochondritits dessicans can do this
* Patellofemoral syndrome
What are the 3 main things that cause the knee to give out
Patellofemoral syndrome (under knee cap is damaged)
patellar subluxation
Instability (active vs passive vs neuro)
What are 2 things that cause locking of the knee?
Loose bodies
Meniscus issue (can tear off and cause loose bodies)
Grating / grinding of the knee is due to
degeneration (think OA)
KNOW: theres a decent link between hip OA and knee OA. This is due to kinematics of the person (poor movement) causing both to degenerate or one causing the other to degenerate
* Often pts w/ hip OA also have knee OA
KNOW: Swelling w/ activity is often linked to instbaility. AKA the knee isnt really moving the way it should which causes that inflammation (internal trauma is occuring)
If theres swelling w/ pivoting or twisting what 2 things am I thinking
1) meniscus issue
2) Instability at the tibiofemoral joint
If theres swelling around either end of the quadrceps tending and a stiff kneecap what am I thinking?
patellofemoral dysfunction (says recurrent w/ climbing stairs - so I think it comes on when climbing stairs)
When does synovial fluid swelling happen?
8-24 hours after injury (this is where surgery no longer occurs [skiers])
What is hemoarthrosis?
Bleeding within the joint
How long does it take hemarthrosis to start in the joint after injury?
Right after (immediate)