The knee joint is the largest joint in the body and forms a hinge between the thigh bone and the bones of the lower leg known as tibia and fibula. It is one of the most complicated joints in the human body and is made up of two articulations, one between the femur and tibia and the other between the femur and patella. It is a pivotal type of hinge joint that permits easy flexion and extension as well as slight lateral and medial rotation. The knee joint is supported by muscles and ligaments, that offer stability and strength to the joint. In this article, we shall discuss the different ligaments of the knee joint.
Ligaments of the Knee Joint
The ligaments of the knee protect the articular capsule of the knee and offer stability and strength to the knee joint. There are two main sets of ligaments that surround the knee joint, the collateral ligaments and the cruciate ligaments. Let us read about them in detail.
Collateral Ligaments
There are two collateral ligaments that run along either side of the knee joint. The medial collateral ligament is located on the inner side of the knee joint and strengthens the joint from inside. It extends from the medial femoral epicondyle to the upper inside edge of the shin bone or tibia. This ligament helps in preventing excessive abduction of the knee.
The second collateral ligament, known as the lateral collateral ligament is located on the outer side of the knee joint. It extends from the lateral femoral epicondyle to the top of the fibula. These two collateral ligaments, together, prevent the side to side movement of the knee joint. They also help in preventing the rotation between the thigh bone and the shin. The lateral collateral ligament is flexible as compared to the medial collateral ligament and is thus, less susceptible to injury. Twisting of the knee, force that pushes the foot outward or a direct hit to the knee can easily result in torn ligament.
Cruciate Ligaments
Another set of ligaments of the knee joint are the cruciate ligaments. The cruciate ligaments are named based on their attachment to the tibia. They are actually short, strong bands of fibrous tissue, that join the tibia to the femur. The anterior cruciate ligament runs posterolaterally from the tibia to the base of the femur. It is attached to the lateral femoral condyle. This cruciate ligament prevents the excessive movement of the femur on the tibia.
The posterior cruciate ligament extends from the rear of the tibia, slightly inwards, to the base of the femur. It is attached posteriorly to the medial femoral condyle. It prevents the excessive anterior movement of the femur bone on the tibia. The posterior cruciate ligament is generally stronger than the anterior cruciate ligament and hence, injuries to the latter are quite common. Landing on a hard surface after a high jump, changing direction rapidly and slowing down suddenly while running, can tear or cause injury to the anterior cruciate ligament. Tearing of anterior cruciate ligament can be a serious condition as compared to the injury caused to any other ligament of the knee. This is mainly because the knee joint stability gets profoundly affected in case of injury to this ligament. Knee exercises can help in strengthening the ligaments and muscles that surround the knee.
This was all about the ligaments of the knee joint. All these ligaments are extremely important for the stability and strength of the knee joint and an injury to any of these ligaments can cause a serious damage to the knee. Hope you found this article informative!
Ligaments of the Knee Joint
The ligaments of the knee protect the articular capsule of the knee and offer stability and strength to the knee joint. There are two main sets of ligaments that surround the knee joint, the collateral ligaments and the cruciate ligaments. Let us read about them in detail.
Collateral Ligaments
There are two collateral ligaments that run along either side of the knee joint. The medial collateral ligament is located on the inner side of the knee joint and strengthens the joint from inside. It extends from the medial femoral epicondyle to the upper inside edge of the shin bone or tibia. This ligament helps in preventing excessive abduction of the knee.
The second collateral ligament, known as the lateral collateral ligament is located on the outer side of the knee joint. It extends from the lateral femoral epicondyle to the top of the fibula. These two collateral ligaments, together, prevent the side to side movement of the knee joint. They also help in preventing the rotation between the thigh bone and the shin. The lateral collateral ligament is flexible as compared to the medial collateral ligament and is thus, less susceptible to injury. Twisting of the knee, force that pushes the foot outward or a direct hit to the knee can easily result in torn ligament.
Cruciate Ligaments
Another set of ligaments of the knee joint are the cruciate ligaments. The cruciate ligaments are named based on their attachment to the tibia. They are actually short, strong bands of fibrous tissue, that join the tibia to the femur. The anterior cruciate ligament runs posterolaterally from the tibia to the base of the femur. It is attached to the lateral femoral condyle. This cruciate ligament prevents the excessive movement of the femur on the tibia.
The posterior cruciate ligament extends from the rear of the tibia, slightly inwards, to the base of the femur. It is attached posteriorly to the medial femoral condyle. It prevents the excessive anterior movement of the femur bone on the tibia. The posterior cruciate ligament is generally stronger than the anterior cruciate ligament and hence, injuries to the latter are quite common. Landing on a hard surface after a high jump, changing direction rapidly and slowing down suddenly while running, can tear or cause injury to the anterior cruciate ligament. Tearing of anterior cruciate ligament can be a serious condition as compared to the injury caused to any other ligament of the knee. This is mainly because the knee joint stability gets profoundly affected in case of injury to this ligament. Knee exercises can help in strengthening the ligaments and muscles that surround the knee.
This was all about the ligaments of the knee joint. All these ligaments are extremely important for the stability and strength of the knee joint and an injury to any of these ligaments can cause a serious damage to the knee. Hope you found this article informative!
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