Patient/caregiver was instructed upon supports to the knee joint as follows:
- Unlike other weight bearing joints in the body, such as, hip and ankle, the knee joint lacks a stable bony configuration.
- Various connective tissue bands, such as, ligaments, tendons, and menisci help stabilize and reinforce the knee joint in the body.
- Ligament is a tissue structure connecting two bones. Tendon is a tissue structure connecting a muscle to a bone. Meniscus is a tissue structure located in between two bones.
- A set of four ligaments (2 collateral ligaments and 2 cruciate ligaments) extend between the ends of femur and tibia in the knee joint, connecting femur to the tibia and holding them together. These ligaments prevent the femur and tibia slide too far away from each other and thus, help reinforce the knee joint.
- Two major tendons connect two big muscles to the knee joint. Quadriceps muscle on the front of the thigh and hamstrings muscle on the back of the thigh connect to the knee joint through their tendons. These big muscles upon contraction help with straightening and bending of the knee joint respectively, which is needed for activity of the knee joint and ambulation. These big muscles also stabilize the knee joint and support the movement of the femur and tibia against each other during activity.
- Two separate kind of ligaments, called menisci, sit between the femur and tibia. The menisci act like a gasket, filling the space between femur and tibia. They help to distribute the weight and stress better from femur to the tibia, over a larger area. Without the meniscus, the weight of the femur would be concentrated over a small area on the articular cartilage and tibia, which can cause damage to the articular cartilage and bone. By distributing the stress over a larger area, menisci help prevent damage to the articular cartilage and bone.
