What are some characteristics of the Knee joint?

1. Largest synovial joint in body; complex jt

2. Essentially a hinge joint, with rotational movement that functions as an accessory

3.supported and maintained by muscles & ligaments w/ no bony stability

4. One of the most frequently injured joints in the body

The Knee joint is a ______ joint. If flexed, _______ and _______ rotation are accessory movements at this joint.

1. hinge joint

2. internal, external 

What are the bones that make up the knee joint?

Femur - enlarge femoral condlyle

Tibia - medial/lateral tibia plateaus

Patella- floating bones

What are the key bony landmarks?

Superior/Inferior poles of the patella

Tibial tuberosity

Medial/Lateral femoral condyles

Upper anterior surface of the tibia

The knee joint is called the _____________ joint.

tibiofemoral joint

This joint is the articulation between the patella and the femur

Patellofemoral joint

What is the main function of the patella?

increase the mechanical advantage of the quadriceps, movement of the quads is more with the patella.

Name two factoids about the "Q angle"

• knee extension in this angle ranges from 13 - 19 degrees
• Since women have a wider pelvis than men, their Q angle is larger
• Many knee problems are the result of the angle being > or < than this range

Articular Cartilage

covers the end of the bones (surfaces between the tibia and femur)

What is menisci? What are some factoids about menisci?

cartilage that provides cushions between the bones (medial/lateral menisci) 

1. attached to the tibia (thicker on the laterally than medially)

2. deepen the tibial fossa

3. enhances stability of knee

The _______ ligaments cross within the knee and between the tibia and fibula. Injuries to this ligament occur when doing what?

cruciate. running and making sharp directional turns

This ligament  is most frequently injured

ACL

This ligament  is most frequently injured

ACL

This ligament is less prone to injury than the ACL

PCL

This ligament maintains medial alignment. 

medical collateral ligament

This ligament maintains lateral alignment

Lateral collateral ligament

Knee extensors are also _______ muscles

anterior

What is unique about the rectus femoris muscle?

• The Rectus femoris in the knee acts as an extensor, and in the hip it acts as a flexor. 
• Reminder : anterior muscles in the hip act as flexors and those in the knee act as extensors.

What are the knee extensors?

1. Rectus Femoris

2. Vastus Medialis

3. Vastus Intermedialis

4. Vastus Lateralis

The Knee extensors collectively are known as the ____________ group and are all innervated by the ________ nerve.

1. Quadriceps

2. femoral 

What are the knee flexors?

1.Biceps Femoris

2. Semitendinosus

3. Semimembranosus

4. sartorius

5. Gracilis

The long head of the biceps femoris is innervated by the _______ nerve, while the short head is innervated by the _____ nerve. 

1. sciatic nerve

2. common peroneal nerve

With the exception of the biceps femoris the other two hamstring muscles are innervated by the ____ nerve.

1. sciatic 

The Sartorius is innervated by the _____ nerve, and it acts both as a ____ and ____ flexor.

1.femoral nerve

2. hip and knee

This muscle is innervated by the obturator nerve and is a weak knee flexor

Gracilis

These two muscle provide medial stability of the knee.

Gracilis and sartorius

This muscle provides the knee with lateral stability.

tensor fascia latae