Knee Anatomy

By Johnathan Martin

The knee is the largest joint in the body that connects the femur to your tibia. Like most joints in the body, it contains ligaments, muscles, carriage, and nerves. It is known as a synovial joint, which means that they are freely mobile and are made up of a joint cavity in one bone that fits into another bone. The knee is a specific type of synovial joint, known as a hinge joint. A hinge joint serves to allow motion primarily in one plane. It also means it is made up of two or more bones covered by cartilage and lubricated by synovial fluid.  

Two types of cartilage make up the knee. The first is hyaline cartilage. Hyaline cartilage is the most common type of cartilage in the body. It is a slippery and smooth cartilage that helps the joints move smoothly past each other. Within the hinge joint, the surfaces of the femur, tibia, and patelar tendon are covered with this hyaline cartilage.  

The second type of cartilage that is found within the knee joint is fibrocartilage. This type of cartilage is tough and made of thick fibers. This tough cartilage’s purpose is to hold parts of the knee together and help absorb and sustain impacts on the knee. The most well-known type of fibrocartilage is the meniscus. It is two wedges of fibrocartilage that cushion the space between the femur and tibia. A few common conditions that can damage or affect the cartilage in the knee include miscues tears, arthritis, and osteoarthritis.  

Image: https://www.oanc.org/conditions-and-treatments/knee-and-calf/