Knee Conditions

The four bones comprising the human knee joint provide little intrinsic stability. Joint stability therefore depends primarily upon ligaments, and secondarily upon muscles. The knee has 4 major ligaments. Two of them cross each other in the center of the knee, one of them being more in front (anterior) and the other being more in back (posterior). The other two are each along the sides of the knee, one being on the inside and the other being on the outside. The names of these important chief knee ligaments are:

  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

  • Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)

  • Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)

  • Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)

The main muscles affecting the knee joint are the quadriceps, which actively extends (straightens) the joint, and several hamstrings, which actively flex (bend) it.

Two specialized cartilage structures are also present. One is called the medial meniscus and the other, the lateral meniscus. These C-shaped structures provide shock absorption to help extend the functional life of the joint.

The surface of the bones in the knee, similar to most other joints ,are covered with articular cartilage to allow smooth, frictionless articulation, even under heavy load.

Through injury, wear, or less commonly other reasons, various components of the knee can be damaged, resulting in symptoms and/or loss of function. Some can be managed well by nonoperative means, such as: activity modification, analgesics, bracing, physical therapy, and injections. Surgery, however, may be required for certain conditions. This can be either standard, open surgery or arthroscopic surgery, which is performed with the use of a telescope, about the diamter of a pencil, inserted through tiny incisions. Some procedures require a combination of arthroscopic and open techniques. Most knee surgeries can be performed in outpatient settings, for example in an ambulatory surgery center. Others need to be performed in a hospital, followed by a brief stay afterwards. Common knee conditions are:

  • Ligament tears (ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL)

  • Meniscus tears

  • Patellar (knee cap) dislocation

  • Tendonitis

  • Arthritis

Determining the cause of knee symptoms usually involves, among other things, physical examination and imaging studies (X-rays, MRI, etc.).

 
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