The knee joint is the largest joint in the human body and consists of three bones, the movements of which are guided exclusively by muscles, ligaments and tendons.
Two crescent shaped cartilaginous discs are located between the femoral bone and the tibial bone on the inner and outer sides of the knee joint. These discs distribute the load on the joint over a large area and act as a buffer or shock absorbing system.
Their structure is clearly different from that of the articular cartilage. The latter is a 1-2mm layer that covers the entire bone surface within the joint. An elastic and aqueous tissue, the articular cartilage provides a low friction gliding surface.
Injury or damage to these structures is often irreparable and can, over the medium to long term lead to articular wear, better known as arthritis.
The knee joint is divided into three compartments:
1. The medial femoral condyle and medial surface of the tibia
2. The lateral femoral condyle and lateral surface of the tibia.
3. The deep surface of the patella and the corresponding surface of the front of the patella.
