 |  Essentials of Athletic Training, 5/e Daniel Arnheim
William Prentice,
University of North Carolina
The Knee and Related Structures
Chapter Overview- The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body. Stability of the knee depends primarily on the bony articulations, ligaments, joint capsule, and muscles that surround the joint.
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Prevention of knee injuries involves maximizing muscle strength and wearing appropriate shoes. Use of protective knee bracing is questionable.
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Assessing an injury to the knee joint requires taking a history, observing both the appearance of the injured part and how the athlete moves, palpating the injured structures around the joint, and using special tests, including valgus/varus stress tests, drawer tests, and the McMurray test to determine the existing stability of the joint.
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The stabilizing structures most often injured are the medial and lateral collateral ligaments, the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, and the menisci.
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Other knee joint injuries that can occur either from acute trauma or from overuse are contusions, bursitis, joint mice, and iliotibial band friction syndrome.
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The patella and its surrounding area can develop a variety of injuries from sports activities, including fractures, subluxation and dislocation, and chondromalacia patella.
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The extensor mechanism of the knee consists of the quadriceps muscle group, the patellar tendon, the patella located within that tendon, and the tibial tubercle. Jumper's knee and Osgood-Schlatter disease are conditions associated with the extensor mechanism.
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education