Knee pain

Various structures in and around the knee work together to keep the knee stable while also moving well. Almost everyone has knee trouble at some point. Knee problems can arise acutely or develop over a longer period. This often manifests as pain, stiffness, limited movement, or a swollen knee.

Anatomy of the knee

The structure of the knee is confusing for many people. Terms like 'meniscus', 'knee ligaments', and 'cruciate ligaments' are often used interchangeably. Below is an overview of the most important structures in and around the knee. 

Femur and tibia
Different bony parts meet in the knee joint. The rounded joint surfaces of the femur stand on the flatter end of the tibia. Together they form the 'tibiofemoral joint'. Because the joint surfaces of the femur do not fit exactly on the flat 'tibial plateau', two menisci (plural of 'meniscus') are located between the bones. 

Meniscus
A meniscus is a crescent-shaped piece of cartilage that distributes pressure in the knee joint and has a shock-absorbing function. In addition, it is thought that the menisci contribute to better lubrication of the joint by guiding the synovial fluid present in the joint as optimally as possible along the articular cartilage.

Cartilage
Articular cartilage is a very smooth layer of connective tissue that covers the bones that glide over each other. Wear of this cartilage layer is also known as 'osteoarthritis' (joint wear).

Ligaments
The stability of the knee is largely provided by different ligament structures. They hold the knee firmly together without restricting its natural movements.

Between the medial (inner) and lateral (outer) menisci are the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. Do not confuse these with the medial (inner) and lateral (outer) collateral ligaments that are located on the sides of the joint.

Kneecap
The 'patella', better known as the kneecap, shields the front of the knee and plays an important role in helping the quadriceps muscle transmit forces to the lower leg. The patella forms a separate joint with the femur, also called the 'patellofemoral joint'.

Fibula
On the outside of the knee there is also a small joint formed by the head of the fibula, which is firmly connected to the tibia. This is called the tibiofibular joint (tibia=shinbone, fibula=calf bone).

Muscles
The muscle that runs from the hip along the front of the thigh and then attaches to the lower leg via a tendon structure with the kneecap is the quadriceps muscle. This muscle functions to extend the knee.

At the back of the knee and thigh run the hamstrings. The main function of the hamstrings is to flex the knee. Together with many other muscles, the quadriceps and hamstrings work closely together, allowing us to smoothly rotate, bend, and straighten the knee.

Check your knee symptoms

To get a good picture of what may be causing the pain in your knee, we advise you to take the online physical therapy check. By indicating where you have pain and then answering the questions, your knee symptoms are compared with the most common conditions within physical therapy. It is wise to have your knee pain checked by a physical therapy practice near you.

Knee conditions

Below is an overview of conditions that can cause knee pain. Each article provides extensive information about the symptoms, the cause, and possible treatment. When you take the online physical therapy check, your symptoms are compared with all these conditions.