Week 3 - Knee Joint Flashcards
Define the knee joint
Largest + most complex joint in the body.
Modified hinge joint due to its primary movement being a uniaxial hinge movement.
List the anatomical components of the knee joint
Articular capsule
Medial + Lateral patellar retinacula
Patellar ligament
Oblique + arcuate popliteal ligament
Tibial collateral ligament
Fibular collateral ligament
Intracapsular ligaments
Articular discs (menisci)
Articular capsule
Ligamentous sheath surrounding the joint
Consists mostly of tendons but some capsular fibres that connect the articulating bones.
Medial + Lateral patellar reticula
Fused tendons of insertion of the quadriceps femoris muscle + the fascia lata (fascia of thigh).
What is the patellar ligament attached to?
Tendon of insertion of quadriceps femoris muscle.
Oblique popliteal ligament
Describe shape
Where its positioned
Broad + flat ligament
Extends from intercondylar fossa + lateral condyle of the femur to the head + medial condyle of the tibia.
Where does the arcuate popliteal ligament extend from and to?
From lateral condyle of femur
To styloid process on head of fibula.
Tibial collateral ligament
Broad + flat
On medial surface of joint that extends from medial condyle of femur to medial condyle of tibia.
Firmly attached to the medial meniscus.
Fibular collateral ligament
Strong + rounded
On lateral surface of joint that extends from lateral condyle of femur to lateral side of the fibular head.
Covered by tendon of biceps femoris muscle.
Tendon of popliteal muscle is deep to the ligament.
What anatomical components of the knee joint strengthen the ANTERIOR surface of the joint?
Medial + Lateral patellar reticula
Patellar ligament
What anatomical components of the knee joint strengthen the POSTERIOR surface of the joint?
Oblique popliteal ligament
Arcuate popliteal ligament - Lower lateral part
What anatomical components of the knee joint strengthen the LATERAL aspect of the joint?
Fibular collateral ligament
Function of the intracapsular ligaments
Connect tibia + femur
What are anterior + posterior cruciate ligaments named based on?
Their origins relative to the intercondylar area of the tibia.
List the intracapsular ligaments
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
Posterior Cruciate ligament (PCL)
INTRACAPSULAR LIGAMENTS
Describe the Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
Comes from the posterior medial border of the lateral femoral condyle.
Attaches anteriorly to the tibial plateau
INTRACAPSULAR LIGAMENTS
Function of the Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
Helps stabilise joint, esp. resisting anterior translation of the tibia.
INTRACAPSULAR LIGAMENTS
Describe the Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
Extends anteriorly + medially from a depression on the posterior intercondylar area of the tibia + lateral meniscus to the anterior part of the lateral surface of the medial condyle of the femur.
INTRACAPSULAR LIGAMENTS
Function of the Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
Prevents posterior sliding of the tibia when knee is flexed.
Describe the meniscus
Crescent shaped cartilage tissues
Sits between articular surfaces of the tibia + femur
Separated into medial + lateral menisci
What is the function of the meniscus
Disperses pressure from body weight across joint.
Adds to the structural integrity of the knee
What do the collateral ligaments do?
Resist medio-lateral translation of the tibia caused by valgus or varus forces
Patella + quadriceps leverage
Muscles generated a pulling force on tendons to rotate bones.
⬆️ distance between line of pull + point of rotation ⬆️ the effect of that force
Patella ⬆️ distance (lever arm) of the quads tendon to the knee
Define bursa
Fluid sac that ⬇️ friction
