Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Bones of the Knee

knee

What bones are at this joint?

The bones at the knee are the femur, patella or kneecap, tibia and fibula.

What type of joint is this?

There are actually three joints here:

  • the patellofemoral joint is a synovial saddle joint that allows the kneecap to slide up and down and from side to side with knee movement
  • the tibiofemoral joint, which is mainly what we're talking about, is a synovial hinge joint that allows flexion and extension and also slight internal and external rotation when the knee is flexed
  • the tibiofibular joint is a synovial plane joint that allows for gliding movement between these two bones

What body part moves this joint?

Your thigh muscles move the knee joint.

What body part is moved at this joint?

Your lower leg is moved at the knee joint.