The tibiofemoral joint, also known as the knee joint is the biggest and most
intricate synovial joint of the body. The knee is considered a hinge joint. Range of
motion, or ROM, is the assessment of the joint’s functionality and flexibility. The
range of motion for your knee ranges from 0 to 140. Range of motion can be
determined by the structure of the articular surfaces of the bones, strength and
tautness of ligaments and joint capsules, as well as, action of the muscles and
tendons (StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan ).
The bones that help to form the knee joint are the femur,
which connects to the patella, which then connects down to the tibia and fibula.
The knee joint has around 13 bursae, four of them being anterior and another
seven on the lateral and medial sides.
The main joints in the knee are the tibiofemoral joint and the patellofemoral joint.
They work with each other to allow the knee to bend and rotate side to side. Our
knees are the largest joint in the body and we put the most pressure on these
joints. As you walk, the load you put on your knees is equal to 1.5 times your body
weight. When walking up the stairs it is equal to 3 to 4 times your body weight. If
you are a weight lifter or just normal day to day life, when you squat that is the
equivalent to 8 times your body weight (Chung & Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine, 2019).
Ligaments attach bone to bone, the ligaments of the
knee are: medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament, anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), patellar ligament and the joint
capsule.The most common knee injury usually happens to the ACL and most commonly
while playing sports. By strengthening your quads it can really help prevent knee
injury as well as help previous injuries. One of the most common disease that
affects the knee is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is when the cartilage in the knee
wears away after a long time period and this causes pain and swelling in your
knee.
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REFERENCES:
Chung, A., & Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. (2019, March 30).Knee Anatomy, Function and Common Problems. Retrieved January 28, 2020,from https://www.healthpages.org/anatomy-function/knee-joint-structure-function-problems/
Physiopedia. Knee (https://www.physio-pedia.com/Knee). Accessed 3/2/2023.
Radiopaedia. Knee joint (https://radiopaedia.org/articles/knee-joint-1?lang=us#nav_summary). Accessed 3/2/2023.
Teach Me Anatomy. The Knee Joint (https://teachmeanatomy.info/lower-limb/joints/knee-joint/). Accessed 3/2/2023.