Knee pain is a common malady for both trained and untrained people. However, just what exactly is causing that pain can be varied, indeed.
Whether your knee pain is coming from patellofemoral pain syndrome, ligament sprains or tears, cartilage (meniscal) tears, tendinitis, or just plain old age (arthritis)
You can have dysfunction at the ankle, hip, or knee itself.
I most commonly see issues at the ankle, hip, or both, though. It could be mobility deficits, soft tissue restrictions, capsular issues, or even congenital issues (femoral-acetabular impingement, for instance).
My advice : go to see a good orthopedic surgeon or sport medicine doctor or physical therapist.
Having said that, you must know the basic anatomy and inner workings of a joint in order to describe the injuries that may occur.
Sorry, but I've just got to school you on the basics right now.
Today is the last day of work at the office, so I’m not too busy at the office today.
Here goes :
The knee joint bones consist of the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (shin bone), and the patella (kneecap). The ligaments are the static and primary restraints of the joint.
In other words, they provide the stabilization of the joint.
The medial collateral ligament (MCL), which provides restraint against valgus forces [bent or twisted away from the midline] to the knee, originates on the inside of the femur and attaches on the inside of the tibia.
The lateral collateral ligament (LCL), which provides restraint to varus forces [the opposite of valgus forces] at the knee, originates on the outside of the femur and attaches to the fibula.
Then you've got the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the primary restraint to anterior tibial translation on the femur. It attaches from the anterior tibia to the posterior femur deep inside the knee joint.
The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) limits posterior tibial translation on the femur and attaches from the posterior tibia to the anterior femur. The two ligaments cross inside the knee joint, hence the name cruciate (cross-shaped).
The muscles are the dynamic and secondary restraints surrounding the knee joint. The primary muscles are the quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh, the adductor muscles on the inside of the thigh, the hamstring muscles on the back of the thigh, and the tensor fascia latae and iliotibial band on the outside of the thigh.
There are two types of cartilage inside the knee joint. The first type of cartilage is called hyaline, or articular cartilage, and it's actually present on the ends of all long bones. It's a protective covering that reduces friction and shock.
When you ravage a chicken drumstick and eat every last piece of flesh, you'll notice a bluish-white shiny substance at the end of the bone. This is the same articular cartilage that you'd find in your knee.
The second type of cartilage is called fibrocartilage or meniscus. There's a medial and lateral meniscus that rests on the top of the tibia.
The functions of the menisci are to provide shock absorption, enhance knee stability, transmit weightbearing forces, and assist with joint lubrication and nutrition (and you thought that was your girlfriend's job!)
The Patella
The patella (kneecap) is a special and very important bone in the knee. The patella and the femur form the patellofemoral joint (PF).
The patella is located inside the tendon of the rectus femoris muscle, which connects the femur to the tibia.
The femur has a concavity or groove where the patella rides up during extension (knee straightening), and down during flexion (knee bending).
The underside of the patella has many ridges that are covered with hyaline cartilage. When the cartilage is healthy and the ridges fit into the femur well, the knee is pain-free.
However, if the patella and femur don't mesh well together, the cartilage can wear down and it could predispose a person to PF pain. The patella's true function is to give the quadriceps muscles increased efficiency and to protect the front of the femur.
Well, I'm sure I lost you while you read this post.
