Knee Anatomy
The knee is the largest joint in the human body and because it supports the weight of the whole body throughout life, is a very complex system. The knee connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (lower leg) and allows movement by having smooth cartilage surfaces and has stability through ligaments that limit movement.
The articular cartilage of the knee covers the end of the femur or thigh bone. Articular cartilage (cartilage that covers the articulating part of a bone) is a type of hyaline (glasslike) cartilage. It is deformable but elastic which is important for its function.
Meniscus Cartilage
The meniscus is a crescent-shaped cartilage that provides structure to the knee when it bears weight and twists. There are two menisci in each knee joint: the medial (inside) and lateral (outside) meniscus between the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (lower leg). The meniscus acts as a shock absorber in the knee and disperses the weight of the body and reduces friction during movement.
Knee Ligaments
The ligaments in the knee offer stability by limiting movements. They include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL).
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