Knee Animations

The knee connects the upper leg bone to the lower leg bone. Cartilage covers the ends of both leg bones and the underside of the patella, or knee cap. When these surfaces are smooth, the joint glides easily and without pain.

The ACL is an elastic band of tissue in the knee that helps hold the joint together. An ACL tear is a common injury that can occur when the knee is twisted or hyperextended. For reasons that are not fully understood, ACL tears are much more common in women than in men.

This condition occurs when a bone’s normal blood supply is disrupted. The affected bone cells die, and the dead bone weakens and may begin to fracture and collapse, leading to arthritis. It most commonly affects women over the age of 60.

This chronic condition, also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, is an unexplained feeling of pain and discomfort that most commonly affects an arm, leg, hand or foot. Often, it begins in the hand or foot and then spreads to affect the entire limb.

This condition is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep inside the body, most commonly in the lower leg or thigh. This type of clot is dangerous, because it can travel through the bloodstream and into one of the pulmonary arteries that supply blood to the lungs. A blockage of a pulmonary artery is a very serious condition called a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal.

This condition is an inflammation of  the pes anserine bursa, a fluid-filled sac between the tibia and the tendons of the hamstring muscle on the inner side of the knee. It can cause pain and restrict motion of the knee.

This condition is a painful inflammation of the iliotibial band, a thick, tendon-like portion of a muscle that travels from the hip down the outer side of the thigh to the knee. ITBS results in pain, aggravated by activity, that is usually felt on the outer side of the knee.

This condition is an inflammation of the prepatellar bursa, a fluid-filled sac that lies on the front of the kneecap. This condition causes pain and swelling at the front of the knee. The bursa may also become infected.

The meniscus is comprised of two c-shaped wedges of cartilage that cushion and stabilize the knee joint. A torn meniscus can cause pain and limited mobility in the knee.

This overuse injury is an inflammation that occurs at the point where the patellar tendon attaches to the tibia. It most commonly affects adolescents. One or both knees may be affected.

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative arthritis, is a gradual breakdown of cartilage in the joints. Cartilage is a tough, flexible connective tissue that protects the ends of bones in the joints. Osteoarthritis is common in the knees because the knees bear the weight of the body. Osteoarthritis of the knee can severely impact a person’s lifestyle.

This condition occurs when a portion of bone or its overlying articular cartilage is cut off from the blood supply, creating a “dead” area of bone and cartilage. Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee usually affects the condyle of the femur, and may occur after injury or trauma to the knee, or from repeated stress of competitive sports.

This condition is an inflammation of the tendon that connects the patella (the kneecap) to the tibia in the knee joint. This tendon is part of the structure of muscles and tendons in the knee that allows the knee to straighten from being bent.

The patella (kneecap) is held in place by the quadriceps and patellar tendons. Ligaments on either side also help stabilize the patella. Patellar tracking disorder is a painful condition caused by a problem with the bones, muscles or ligaments around the patella.

This condition is an irritation of the cartilage on the back of the patella (the kneecap) that causes pain in one or both knees.

This condition occurs when the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the band of tissue that connects the femur to the tibia inside the knee joint, becomes torn or worn away, causing pain and instability of the knee.

This outpatient procedure is used to repair a small area of damaged cartilage in the knee. The damaged tissue is removed, allowing healthy cartilage to grow in its place.  It is performed through small incisions on the sides of the knee with the aid of a small video camera called an arthroscope.

This technique is designed to treat and repair cartilage defects by regenerating the patient’s own hyaline cartilage, (a weight-bearing cartilage that lines the surface of the knee joint).

This technique is designed to treat and repair cartilage defects by regenerating the patient’s own cartilage cells.

Arthroscopic surgery is used to diagnose and treat many joint problems. This significant advance in joint care allows for a rapid return to improved activity. Most commonly used in knees, shoulders and ankles, the arthroscope can also be used for the spine, hips, wrists, and elbows. This animation shows the knee joint.

his procedure is designed to loosen or tighten ligaments on either side of the patella (kneecap) to improve the movement of the patella in patients suffering from patellar tracking disorder. This procedure is usually performed arthroscopically through one or two small incisions near the patella.

This minimally-invasive outpatient procedure, performed under local anesthetic, removes bits of bone, cartilage or other tissue that have broken free and are floating within the knee joint.

The meniscus is a band of cartilage in the knee that acts as a shock absorber and provides stability to the knee joint. The meniscus helps protect the articular cartilage, the smooth covering on the ends of the femur and tibia. If a meniscus tears, it can often be repaired through arthroscopic surgery.

The meniscus is comprised of two c-shaped wedges of cartilage that cushion and stabilize the knee joint. This outpatient arthroscopic procedure replaces lost or severely damaged meniscal cartilage with tissue taken from a donor knee. The surgery lasts about one to three hours and is performed under general anesthetic.

This minimally-invasive procedure repairs damaged cartilage in the knee joint. Small holes are drilled into the bone at the base of the damaged area to stimulate the growth of healthy “scar” cartilage.

This procedure replaces areas of damaged cartilage with grafts of the patient’s own healthy hyaline cartilage. The procedure, also known as mosaicplasty, is performed using small instruments through  incisions on the sides of the knee. The surgeon uses a small video camera called an arthroscope to see inside the joint and guide the instruments.

This minimally-invasive outpatient procedure is designed to remove the damaged portion of the meniscus, a layer of cartilage on top of the tibia that cushions and stabilizes the knee joint. The procedure may be performed with local or regional anesthetic.

This surgical procedure removes portions of damaged cartilage on the femur in the knee joint that have been rubbing against the underside of the patella, causing pain and loss of mobility. This cartilage is then replaced with a specially-designed implant.

This surgical procedure is used in cases where osteoarthritis has affected only one side of the knee joint. The tibia is cut and realigned so that pressure is shifted from the damaged side of the knee joint to the healthier side.

This procedure, also called bone realignment, is designed to improve the movement of the patella (the kneecap) to correct patellar tracking disorder. The procedure usually requires hospitalization and general anesthesia.

Unlike total knee replacement surgery, this less-invasive procedure replaces only the damaged or arthritic parts of the knee.