Knee
The knee is the largest joint in the body and it is also one of the most complex. It is made of a hinge joint which joins the shinbone (tibia) and the thigh bone (the femur). At the front of the knee joint lies the kneecap (the patella). The ends of each of the bones are covered with a hard white slippery “gristle” which we call “Articular Cartilage”. In between these articular surfaces lie a pair of shock absorbers called the Meniscus, which are commonly named by people as “Cartilage”. So it is easy to be confused between both of them.
The bones of the knee are connected by muscles, ligaments, and tendons. All these are contributing to provide movement, strength, balance and stability for the knee. Each componenet of knee described above can be affected by many conditions ranging from simple injury and bruising, to a complete ligament rupture and advanced arthritis (wear & Tear).
Herebelow, some of the common knee conditions and their treatment:
Cartilage (Meniscus) Damage
The meniscus is a “cushion” cartilage inside the knee. It is a common condition when this cartilage is torn as a result of a knee (sport) injury. The patient is usually complaining from pain, swelling and possibly clicking in the knee. This injury, in most cases, is successfully treated with Arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery as a Day-Surgery case. More...
Ligament injury
There are many ligaments (including Anterior Cruciate Ligament) around and inside the knee which provide strength and stability. These can be subjected to injury (rupture) during sports and accidents. The patient subsequently complains from pain and instability (giving away) in his/her knee. In this case, early diagnosis and treatment is strongly recommended. As appropriate, the specialist may suggest an operative reconstruction of these torn ligaments. Some of these operations can be performed using an Arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery. More...
Articular Cartilage Damage
Articular cartilage is the “lining” cartilage covering the bone ends inside the knee joint. This structure can be damaged as a result of an acute (sport) injury. This may cause persistent symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness in the knee. It is clearly indicated for this injury to be diagnosed and treated at an early stage. Treatment option includes Arthroscopic (keyhole) operation for the knee as a Day-Surgery case. More...
Patellar (Knee cap) problems
Patella (knee cap) plays an important role in the knee motion and strength. It can be affected by injury as well as Arthritis disease. The sufferer may have a lot of complaints like pain in front of the knee, cracking and giving away sensation. The specialist may arrange special tests and an investigation to indentify the problem. Subsequently, the treatment plan would be discussed with the patient. More... |
