Anatomical Terms - Structures
The knee joint is surrounded by synovial fluid which keeps it lubricated. The bones are covered by smooth joint surface (articular) cartilage that allows them to glide smoothly together without friction. If the joint surface is damaged through wear and tear or a knee injury, arthritis can develop.
The knee joint is made up of two parts. The part of the knee between the end of the thigh bone (femur) and the top of the shin bone (tibia) is called the tibiofemoral joint. The patellofemoral joint is between the end of the thigh bone (femur) and the kneecap (patella). Injuries can happen at both points, so we will cover all the anatomy and possible injuries that can occur at these locations.
Cruciate Ligaments
Let’s cover the cruciate ligaments that are located inside the knee joint. These two ligaments cross eachother to form a “x” with the anterior ligament crossing in front and the posterior crossing in the back. These ligaments are in charge of the forward and backward motion, or the flexion and extension of your knee.
Collateral Ligaments
Next, we will cover the anatomy of the collateral ligaments. These are found on the sides of your knee. The MCL connects the femur to the tibia and the LCL connects the femur to the smaller bone in your leg called the fibula. The job of the medial or “inside” collateral ligament and the lateral or “outside” collateral ligament is to control the side to side motion of your knee. This is also called abduction “away from the midline” and adduction “toward the midline”. These structures also protect the knee from any unusual movement.
Meniscal Cartilage
Lastly, there are two meniscal cartilages located on either side of the knee. You may hear a provider using the terms previously mentioned such as: medial and lateral menisci. These structures act as shock absorbers and are located between the curve of your femur and the flat part of your tibia. Not only are they shock absorbers, but they also provide knee stability and make sure the weight is evenly distributed on your knee when walking, running, jumping, etc. With wear and tear, the meniscus can become damaged and lead to articular cartilage damage and possible development of arthritis.
Anatomical Terms – Injuries
Understanding your injury includes the terms you may hear when you are diagnosed. Much like addressing balance problems and it’s many different terms such as: dizzy, vertigo, spinning, tilting, sense of falling, each injury holds different approaches to healing. So, let’s understand each term for knee injuries and what that means moving forward.
Strain – an injury to a tendon or muscle that can range in severity
- Grade 1 (mild): overstretching of the muscle with small tears in the fibers
- Grade 2 (moderate): muscle or tendon is overstretched and several fibers torn.
- Grade 3 (severe): “pop” sensation at the time of injury. Most or all fibers are torn in the muscle.
Sprain – overextension or tear of a ligament around a joint that range in severity
- Mild: small stretching of the ligament
- Moderate: combination of stretching of the ligament and a small tear
- Severe: complete tear of the ligament
Fracture - A fracture is essentially the same thing as a break. It is the medical term used to describe a break. If the bone happens to pierce the skin, it is then called a compound or open fracture.
Dislocation - A dislocation is the term when bones in one of your joints is knocked or pushed out of its usual place. Our bodies contain a total of 360 joints and they are divided amongst 6 different major freely movable joints: ball and socket, hinge, condyloid, pivot, gliding, and saddle joints.
Common Knee injuries
The most common knee injuries include sprains and tears of soft tissues, fractures, and dislocations. Most of the time, injuries involve more than one structure in the knee. The most common major knee injury is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury. This injury accounts for about 40% of all sports-related injuries.
The remaining 6 common knee injuries are:
- Fractures
- Dislocations
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament injuries
- Collateral ligament injuries
- Meniscal Tears
- Tendon Tears
Common Knee Surgeries
Meniscectomy: a common orthopedic procedure done to alleviate pain in the knee. These types of meniscal tears derive from degeneration in nature. The torn part of the meniscus is completely removed, only leaving the healthy part in the knee.
Meniscus Repair: Similar to a meniscectomy, a meniscus repair’s goalis to alleviate pain in the knee. The difference is, nothing is taken out of the knee. The meniscus is sewn together where the tear occurred. This typically results in a longer recovery time, but is allowing the body to try to repair the tear on its own.
Lateral Release: This surgery is a minimally invasive surgery done through three small incisions in the knee. The purpose of it is to correct any excessive patellar tilt. The surgeon cuts through a group of tendons in the kneecap to allow it to move into the proper groove restoring normal alignment.
Microfracture: This surgery is done by creating very small holes in the bone near the damaged cartilage, called microfractures. Cells are released from the bone marrow, allowing for new cartilage to replace the damaged tissue.
ACL reconstruction: ACL reconstruction is done by taking out the damaged ACL and replacing it with a graft, taken from another part of the leg.
Tendon Repair: A tendon repair is similar to a meniscus repair in that the two torn ends are brought together and sewn. Upon completion, it may even be immobilized by a cast or splint.
Knee Replacements: The damaged cartilage on either ends of the affected bones are removed and replaced with metal components. Then a medical grade plastic spacer is inserted between the components for optimal gliding. Some surgeons even choose to resurface the underpart of the patella with a “plastic button.” This is a case by case situation.
Stretches To Prevent Knee Injuries
Stretching is always important, whether you are doing it before exercise, or you are sedentary and using your stretch to wake your body up. It’s important to note that your stretching needs to be done properly in order to prevent injury. Some simple but effective stretches that also help with knee health are :
- Step-ups
- Hamstring curls
- Straight leg lifts
Overview
The knee is a sensitive area of the body and one that can be injured doing almost any activity. The knee is normally exposed and vulnerable and a simple twist can lead to a serious injury as well as ongoing problems and a long recovery time. Therefore, whether your sport is rugby or racquetball, bowling or badminton, you cannot take chances with this body part.
If you have experienced a knee injury, surgery, or wear over time, we at FYZICAL Lubbock are happy to help. Give us a call today or reach out to us here. We want to help you get back to living your life and experiencing all the joys it has to give.
If you want to know more about the types of knee surgeries mentioned earlier in this blog, please visit:
https://www.fyzical.com/lubbock/Injuries-Conditions/Knee/Surgery/c~125/category.html