ABSTRACT
The knee is a synovial, modified hinge joint between the femur (1) and the tibia (2). Movements are essentially flexion and extension, but rotation is possible when the knee is flexed. The patella (3) is a sesamoid bone in the tendon of quadriceps (4,5), and it articulates with the femur. The lateral articular surface of the patella is larger than the medial. The femoral condyles (6) are rounded. Anteriorly the lateral condyle is more prominent than the medial to counteract the natural tendency for quadriceps to draw the patella in a lateral direction during knee extension. The upper end of the tibia (7) is a flat plateau with an intercondylar eminence.
