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Friday, June 26, 2009

The Function and Anatomy of the Knee

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

A Guide to Understanding the Functioning of the Knee

Two or more bones connected by ligaments make up a joint. The largest joint is the knee. It is composed of three parts:

1. The kneecap (patella).

The tibia is the upper end of the shin bone.

The patella is commonly known as the kneecap.

Additionally, the quadriceps (long muscles on the front of the thigh) strengthen the knee.

Articular cartilage forms a covering over the surfaces of the bone where they touch each other. This cushions the bones.

A smooth, thin tissue liner known as synovial membrane covers the rest of the surfaces of the knee joint. This membrane creates a bit of fluid that lubricates the joint so that the bones don't grind against one another.

How is Knee Pain Caused?

Often, the cartilage just gets worn away. Without cartilage, there is nothing but bone-to-bone. This constant rubbing and friction causes swelling and pain.

This situation is usually caused by osteoarthritis. This is a condition in which there has been knee injury or trauma. When there is no cartilage, there is nothing to absorb the shock between the bones that make up the joint. When this happens, the bones become stressed and painful.

Click here to learn more about total knee replacement surgery.

Ways to Treat Knee Pain

It is possible to treat knee pain with both no steroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatories. You can also benefit from cortisone injections, physical therapy, and bracing. However, if you have already given these methods a try and still have not found relief, it is not worth limiting your activities and living with pain. You may want to turn to surgery.

Knee replacement surgery was done for the first time in 1968, and it has been a popular solution to knee pain ever since. It is typically successful and results in the relief of pain and the restoration of knee function. More than a quarter of a million Americans undergo knee replacement surgery every year.

Click here to learn more about partial knee replacement.

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