Anatomy of the Knee

The knee is that the joint wherever the bones of the lower and higher legs meet. the most important joint within the body, the knee moves sort of a hinge, permitting you to sit down, squat, walk or jump.

The knee consists of 3 bones:

femur – the higher long bone, or thigh bone
tibia – the bone at the front of the lower leg, or shin bone
patella – the thick, triangular bone that sits over the opposite bones at the front of the knee, or kneecap.
The ends of the bones area unit coated with a layer of animal tissue, a slick, elastic material that absorbs shock and permits the bones to glide simply against each other as they move.

Between the shinbone and thighbone bone area unit 2 crescent pads of animal tissue that cut back friction and disperse the load of the body across the joint. They are:

The lateral cartilage, placed at the skin of the knee.
The medial cartilage, placed on the within of the knee.

Indications for knee preservation?

Even though joint preservation is sometimes a doctor’s initial option to restore the conventional operate of the articulatio genus, bound factors have to be compelled to be thought-about whereas selecting between the choices of articulatio genus preservation and knee replacement. a number of the factors that have an effect on this call are:

Age of the person: it’s typically seen that preservation techniques tend to own additional positive outcomes in younger persons, however these techniques may additionally  be typically most popular in older persons UN agency aren’t suited bear surgical operation.

Weight of the person: the quantity of stress placed on a joint is directly proportional to the load of an individual. A loss of even one kilo of weight will cut back the load on the knee joints by the maximum amount as 3 to 5 kilograms. Weight loss just in case of weighty people is one in every of the ways of joint preservation.

Strength and acquisition of the body muscles: A person’s muscles not solely play a significant role within the movements of the joints however additionally operate as joint protectors by interesting shock. participating in regular exercise helps in maintaining and restoring the strength of the muscles thereby reducing joint stress and pain.

Severity of the gristle defect: The gristle acts as a cushion between 2 bones of the articulatio genus. cutting or erosion of smaller areas of this gristle could also be well managed with minimally invasive joint restoration procedures. However, if the gristle loss is additional, it  brings the bones in direct contact with one another. The friction arising thanks to direct contact between the bones thereby causes their deterioration. Such cases area unit additional appropriate for joint replacement surgery.

Treatment

Joint preservation  is procurable once a radical assessment, likewise as patient history, clinical examination, X-rays of the knee and long leg alignment views. The long leg alignment views modify the practician to assess the patient’s mechanical loading access. This helps North yankee country to go looking out out at that purpose through the knee the load is passing.

How is it performed?
Joint preservation surgery, or osteotomy surgery, is performed after a thorough clinical assessment and calculation of all the angles of the lower leg. The calculations are then used to perform osteotomy surgery, which involves making an incision in the bone in two plains and realigning the lower leg.

Once the limb has been realigned and is straight with the mechanical access passing through the desired point within the middle of the knee joint, a plate is applied to either the femur or the tibia to maintain the alignment while the bone heals.

Diagnosis
If you are having any joint pain in your hip or your knee, it is important to seek medical attention. To diagnose your condition, your doctor will ask you a series of questions about your past and current health and perform a physical exam. To best determine the cause of your joint pain and find the right treatment, one of the following techniques will be used:

X-ray (radiograph)— This is typically the first technique used in any joint injury. It involves sending radiation through the affected area of the body. The bone then absorbs the radiation and provides doctors with a black and white image that will display any breaks or fractures. This is always done first to determine the health of the bones in the joint.
Computed tomography scan (CT or CAT scan)— A CAT scan combines X-ray technology with computer technology to generate a three-dimensional image of the bone and tissues in the area. This can give a better image of the problem.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)— This imaging procedure puts you in a vessel. Here, magnetic waves are moved around you, creating vibrations. The resonance from these vibrations is then turned into an image, which allows the doctor to see skeletal structures as well as blood vessels and tissues.
Arthroscopy — This procedure allows the doctor to make a small incision and place a camera inside the area of the injury to get more detail. This is usually done in conjunction with surgery, as it requires anesthesia.