The Knee Joint

These flashcards cover important terms and concepts related to the knee joint anatomy, ligaments, and associated musculature.

Knee joint

The largest joint in the body, classified as a hinge joint.

Femur

One of the bones forming the knee joint, featuring medial and lateral condyles.

Tibia

The bone bearing most weight in the knee joint, having medial and lateral condyles.

Fibula

The bone on the lateral side of the lower leg, which does not articulate with the femur.

Patella

A sesamoid bone embedded in the quadriceps and patellar tendon.

ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)

A key ligament in the knee that provides stability.

PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament)

A ligament that prevents backward movement of the tibia.

Meniscus

Crescent-shaped cartilage that cushions joints in the knee, with medial and lateral types.

Synovial fluid

Fluids present in the joint cavity, facilitating movement and reducing friction.

Q angle

The angle formed by the quadriceps muscle and the patellar tendon, important for aligning the knee.

Genu valgus

A condition where the knees angle in and touch each other when standing straight.

Genu varus

A condition where the knees bow outwards, away from each other.

Tibial tuberosity

A bony prominence on the tibia where the patellar tendon attaches.

Hamstrings

A muscle group responsible for knee flexion, consisting of semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris.

Quadriceps

A muscle group that extends the knee, consisting of rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius.

Popliteus

A muscle that assists in unlocking the knee joint during flexion.

Screw home mechanism

The mechanism allowing the knee to fully extend by rotating externally during the last degrees of extension.