Knee Terminology
MENISCAL TEAR DEFINED
Menisci are two crescent shaped structures present in the knee joint. They are fibrocartilaginous structures that act as “shock absorbers” during knee movement.
The most common cause of meniscal tear is twisting/ hyperflexion of a joint. Meniscal tears can lead to pain, locking and “giving way” symptoms in the knee. It is often diagnosed by either clinical examination or through a MRI scan.
KNEE LIGAMENTS
The knee has four major ligaments. These are structures that link bones to each other to improve joint stability. There are four ligaments of the knee that connect the tibia to the femur and they are
- ACL – Anterior Cruciate Ligament is the ligament found at the center of the knee and it is the one that controls the forward motion and rotation of the tibia.
- PCL – Posterior Cruciate Ligament is the ligament found at the center of the knee and controls tibia’s backward motion.
- MCL – Medial Collateral Ligament is the ligament that provides the medial aspect of the knee with stability
- LCL – Lateral Collateral Ligament is the ligament that provides the outer knee aspect of the knee with stability
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