The knee joint is the largest and most complex joint in the body. It is formed by the condyle of the femur articulating with the condyle of the tibia and the patella. The knee joint is supported by several ligaments including the fibrous capsule, ligamentum patellae, medial and lateral collateral ligaments, anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, and medial and lateral menisci. The knee joint is supplied by branches of the popliteal artery and innervated by branches of the femoral and sciatic nerves. Common clinical issues involving the knee include osteoarthritis, injuries to the cruciate ligaments and menisci, and deformities such as genu varum and genu vulg

1. ANATOMY OF KNEE JOINT
DR BIPUL BORTHAKUR
PROFESSOR AND HOD
DEPARTMENT OF ORTHOPAEDICS
SMCH

2. KNEE JOINT
• It is the largest and the most complex joint of
body
• Complexity is result of fusion of three joints
1.Lateral femorotibial joint.
2.Medial femorotibial joint.
3.Femoropatellar joint.
• It is compound synovial joint

3. ARTICULAR SURFACE
Knee joint is formed by :-
1. Condyle of femur.
2. Condyle of tibia.
3. Patella.
• The femoral condyle articulate with tibial
condyle below and behind,and with patella
infront.

5. LIGAMENTS OF KNEE JOINT.
Knee joint supported by following ligament :-
• 1.Fibrous capsule
• 2.Ligamentum patella
• 3.Tibial Collateral or Medial Ligament
• 4.Fibular Collateral or Lateral ligament
• 5.Oblique popliteal ligament
• 6.Arcuate Popliteal ligament
• 7.Anterior Cruciate ligament

6. • 8.Posterior cruciate ligament
• 9.Medial meniscus
• 10.Lateral meniscus
• 11.Transverse ligament

7. 1.FIBROUS (ARTICULAR) CAPSULE
• It is very thin and is deficient anteriorly, where
it is replaced by quadriceps femoris, the
patella and ligamentum patellae.
The capsule has two constant gap :-
1. One leading into supra patellar bursa.
2. Another for exit of tendon of popliteus.

8. 2. LIGAMENTUM PATELLAE
• It is central portion of common tendon
of insertion of quadricep femoris.
• It is attached above to the margins and
rough posterior surface of apex of
patella,and below to the smooth,upper
part of tibial tuberosity.

9. 3.TIBIAL COLLATERAL OR MEDIAL
LIGAMENT
• It is long band of great strength
• It resists force pushing the knee medially.
• It is attached proximally to the medial
condyle of femur immediately below the
adductor tubercle; below to the medial
condyle of tibia and medial surface of its
body.

10. 4. Fibular Collateral or Lateral ligament
• It is strong and cord like ligament.
• Attached superiorly to lateral epicondyle of femur
just above the popliteal groove and Inferiorly to head
of fibula.
5. Oblique Popliteal Ligament
• This is expantion from the tendon of
semimembranous.

12. 6.Arcuate popliteal ligaments:-
this is posterior expansion from short lateral ligament
7.Anterior Cruciate Ligaments:-
It is attached to anterior intercondylar area of tibia
run backward,upward and laterally to get attached
to posteromedial aspect of lateral femoral condyle
It prevent forward sliding of tibia on femur
It prevent hyperextention of knee joint
Taut during extention of knee

13. • 8.Posterior Cruciate Ligament :-
• It begins from the posterior part of intercondylar
area of tibia, runs upwards, forwards and medially
and is attached to anterior part of lateral surface of
medial condyle of femur.
• It prevent posterior translation of tibia to limit
hyperflexion
• It taut during flexion of knee

15. MEDIAL MENISCUS
• C shaped,wider behind than in front.
• Its anterior horn attached to anterior tibial
intercondylar area in front of anterior cruciate
ligament.
• posterior horn fixed to posterior tibial
intercondylar area,between attachments of lateral
meniscus and posterior cruciate ligament.

16. 10.Lateral Meniscus
.o shaped,it covers larger area than medial meniscus
.Anterior horn attached in front of intercondylar
eminence,posterolateral to anterior cruciate
ligament.
.posterior horn get attached behind this eminence,
in front of posterior horn of medial meniscus
11.Transvers ligament
It connects the anterior end of medial and lateral
menisci.

18. SYNOVIAL MEMBRANE
• It lines the capsule,except posterorly
where it is reflected forwards by
cruciate ligament,forming a common
covering for both ligaments.

20. Bursae around the knee
. As many as 12 bursae have been describe
around the knee
.Anterior:1.subcutaneous prepatellar bursa
2.subcutaneous infrapatellar bursa
3.Deep infrapatellar bursa
4.Suprapatellar bursa

21. .Lateral:1.A bursa deep to lateral head of
gastrocnemius
2.A bursa between the fibular collateral
ligament and the biceps femoris.
3.A bursa between fibular collateral
ligament and the tendon of popliteus
4.A bursa between tendon of popliteus and
the lateral condyle of tibia.

22. Medial:
1.A bursa deep to medial head of
gastrocnemius.
2.The anserine bursa
3.A bursa deep to tibial collateral
ligament.
4.A bursa deep to semimembranosus.
•

24. • Relation Of Knee Joint
Anteriorly:
1.Anterior bursae
2.ligamentum patellae
3.Patellar plexus of nerves
Posteriorly:
1.At middle: Popliteal vessels,Tibial nerve.
2.Posterolaterally:Lateral head of gastrocnemius,
Plantaris,and Common peroneal
nerve.
3.Posteromedially:Medial head of
gastrocnemius,
semitendinous,
Gracilis and Popliteus at its insertion
•

25. Medially:
1.Sartorius,Gracilis and Semitendinosus
2.Great saphenous vein with saphenous
nerve
3.semimembranosus
Laterally:
1.Biceps Femoris
2.Tendon of origin of popliteus

26. BLOOD SUPPLY
The chief sources of blood supply are :-
1.Five genicular branches of popliteal artery.
2.The descending genicular branch of Femoral
artery.
3.The descending branch of the lateral circumflex
femoral artery.
4.Two recurrent branches of anterior tibial artery
5.The circumflex fibular branch of posterior tibial
artery.

27. • Nerve supply :-
1.Femoral nerve,throgh its branches to
vasti, especially vastus medialis.
2.Sciatic nerve,throgh genicular branches
of the tibial and common peroneal nerves.
3.Obturator nerve,through its posterior
division.

28. Muscle producing movement at knee joint
Movement Principal muscles
A.Extention Quadriceps femoris
B.Flexion 1.Biceps femoris
2.Semitendinosus
3.semimembranosus
C.Medial rotation 1.Popliteus
2.Semimembranosus
3.Semitendinosus
D.Lateral rotation Biceps femoris

29. CLINICAL ANATOMY
1.Osteoarthritis:It is an age related cartilage
degeneration of articular surface.
characterise by growth of
osteophyte at articular end,which
makes movement limited and
painful.
2.Structurally,the knee is a weak joint because the
articular surface are not congruent.

30. 3.Deformity of the knee:
a.Genu vulgum or Knock knee:
Abnormaly abducted leg
b.Genu varum or Bow knee:
Abnormally adducted leg
4.Injury to knee:
a.Injury to medial meniscus is more
vulnerable than lateral meniscus because of
its fixity to tibial collateral ligament
b.Anterior cruciate ligament is more commonly
damage than the posterior

31. THANK YOU