Healthy Gait: Review of Anatomy and Physiology of Knee Joint
Prathap Kumar J, Arun Kumar M., D. Venkatesh
Abstract
The knee joint is a largest, complex synovial joint of a modified hinge variety. There are three articulations. in the knee joint i.e. two between the tibial and femoral condyles and the third with the patella and femur. The main movements occurring on it are flexion and extension on a horizontal axis; but in addition it displays some degree of rotatory movement called locking and unlocking on a vertical axis. It is mainly weight bearing but also helps in locomotion. Man has evolved and has got erect posture and hence advantage of standing on two legs which means weight of the upper part of the body needs to be balanced and carried by the lower limbs. Knee joint along with other structures carries and bears the body weight. This can produce adverse effects on the joint which is subjected to constant stress and thus undergoes wear and tear. This disturbs the homeostasis of the knee joint. Understanding the normal structural organization and functional homeostatic limits is necessary to predict the disease of knee joint.