Knee Injuries – Part I – The Anatomy Of The Knee

Knee Injuries: Knee injuries occur in all phases of life.  From work to recreation to normal daily activities, people suffer knee injuries that can be quite debilitating with significant impairment of the injury victim’s ability to function. This is the first in a multi-part series intended to educate about the knee anatomy, injuries and medical treatment. 

The knee is comprised of bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, nerves and blood vessels.  Below is a diagram that identify the components of the knee.

The basic bones in the knee are: the upper leg bone called the Femur; the knee cap (patella); the larger lower leg bone called the Tibia; and, the small lower leg bone called the Fibula.  Ligaments connect bone to bone and are located in the center of the knee joint, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).  On the inner and outer sides of the knee are the medical collateral ligament (MCL) and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL). These four ligaments help to stabilize the knee.

The knee cap floats over the front of the knee, connected by the quadricep tendon above and the Patellar tendon below.  The knee joint is lubricated by Synovial fluid.  The Femur and Fibula are separated by the Meniscus (a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that partly divides the knee joint) which acts as a space maintainer and shock absorber.  The Femur and Tibia bones also are lined with Articular cartilage, a type of cartilage found on many joint surfaces and which separates the Femur and Tibia.

The next part in this blog series will discuss some common types of knee injuries.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a serious injury or fatality, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact an experienced personal injury trial lawyer at The Maurer Law Firm, PLLC to schedule a free consultation to discuss your rights by filling out our free website “Tell Us About Your Case” review form, or phone us directly at 845- 896-5295.

Posted by Ira M. Maurer, Esq. for The Maurer Law Firm, PLLC

Lifetime Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum