Abstract
A comprehensive discussion of the anatomy and function of the knee joint is given in this chapter in summary form. Illustrations are included to help describe the movement of the knee joint. Topics include the patellofemoral joint, knee ligaments, the cruciate ligaments, and menisci. The function of the knee joint is also outlined including load transmission, joint stability and shock absorption. The blood and nerve supply of the knee is also included.
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Notes
- 1.
The femur has a greater articular surface area than the tibia, so that when the knee goes from flexion to extension, the femoral condyles glide posteriorly over the tibial plateaux. If this did not occur, the femur would roll off the tibia before full extension was achieved.
- 2.
Hilton’s law: The nerve supplying the muscles extending directly across and acting at a given joint not only supplies the muscle, but also innervates the joint and the skin overlying the muscle.
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Pillemer, R. (2023). Anatomy and Function of the Knee Joint. In: Handbook of Lumbar Spine and Lower Extremity Examination. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37804-1_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-37804-1_7
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Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
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Online ISBN: 978-3-031-37804-1
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