KNEE
The knee joint, which appears like a simple hinge-joint, is one of
the most complex joints in the
body.
The knee joint is made up of the femur (thigh bone), tibia (lower
leg bone) and patella (the
kneecap). All these bones are lined with articular cartilage (surface
cartilage). This articular
cartilage acts like a shock absorber and allows a smooth, low friction
surface for the knee to
move on. Between the tibia and femur lie two floating cartilages
called menisci.
The medial (inner) meniscus and the lateral (outer) meniscus rest on
the tibial surface
cartilage and are mobile. The menisci also act as shock absorbers and
stabilizers. The knee is
stabilized by ligaments that are both inside and outside the joint.
The medial and lateral collateral
ligaments support the knee from excessive side to side movement. The
(internal) anterior and
posterior cruciate ligaments support the knee from buckling and giving
way. The knee joint
is surrounded by a capsule (envelope) that produces a small amount of
synovial (lubricating) fluid to help with smooth motion. Thigh muscles
are important secondary knee stabilizers.
We tend to ignore our knees until something happens to them that
causes pain. If we
take good care of our knees now, before there is a problem, we can
really help ourselves.
In addition, if some problems with the knees develop, an exercise
program can be extremely beneficial. To understand the functions,
conditions, surgeries & procedures of the knee better,
we have included an interactive animated presentation.
Click on the topics below to go the desired section
:: Knee anatomy
:: Knee arthritis
:: Knee Arthroscopy
:: ACL Reconstruction
Normal anatomy of the Knee Joint
How does the Knee joint work? Find out more in this web based movie.



Arthritis of the Knee joint
The term arthritis literally means inflammation of a joint, but is generally used to describe any condition in which there is damage to the cartilage.
Click here to go to the section on arthritis.


Arthroscopy of the knee joint.
Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure in which an arthroscope is inserted into a joint. Arthroscopy is a term that comes from two Greek words "arthro", meaning "joint" and "skopein", meaning to "examine".
The benefits of arthroscopy involve smaller incisions, faster healing, a more rapid recovery, and less scarring. Arthroscopic surgical procedures are often performed on an outpatient basis and the patient is able to return home on the same day.
Find out more about Knee Arthroscopy from the following links.
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| Interactive Movie |
Text version |
Patient Info Handout |


ACL reconstruction
The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the major stabilising ligaments in the knee. It is a strong rope like structure located in the centre of the knee running from the femur to the tibia. When this ligament tears unfortunately it doesn’t heal and often leads to the feeling of instability in the knee.
ACL reconstruction is a commonly performed surgical procedure and with recent advances in arthroscopic surgery can now be performed with minimal incisions and low complication rates.
ACL Reconstruction Hamstring tendon.
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| Interactive Movie |
Text version |
Patient Info Handout |
ACL Reconstruction Patellar tendon.
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| Interactive Movie |
Text version |
Patient Info Handout |

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