The knee joint

It is a ginglymus( modified hinge) synovial joint.

Subcutaneous joint and not very well protected by the muscle mass or fat pad.

Bony palpation
Position of the patient: patient sitting on the edge of the table more accessible when he is seated on stool. ! bed ridden patient for knee assessment the patient should be supine and leg fle"ed to #$ degree. The bony prominences and the muscle ligaments are well observed when knee is fle"ed.

%edial aspect

Position of the PT: place the hand in such a way so that the fingers arching around the knee joint and the fingers curving to posterior popliteal artery. The &T place the thumb on the anterior portion of the knee and press into soft

&alpation of the followings

*ateral aspect
Lateral tibial plateau' push down with the thumb into the soft tissue depression until you feel the upper edge of lateral tibial plateau. Lateral tubercle' it is the large prominence of bone immediately below the lateral tibial plateau. Lateral femoral condyle; return to the soft tissue depression and move upward and laterally onto the sharp edge of the lateral femoral condyle it is more palpable when the knee is taken beyound #$ degree of fle"ion.

*ateral femoral epicondyle'

Trochlear groove and patella:

Soft tissue palpation

It is divided into four clinical +ones that is ,) !nterior aspect -) %edial aspect .)*ateral aspect /)&osterior aspect

0one ,1 !nterior aspect

Quadriceps: it is inserted to the supeior and medial border of the patella. The tendon then crosses over the patella to form the infrapatellar tendon which

Pes anserine bursa: it is located between the

0one ,,1 medial aspect

Sartorious 3racilis and Semitendonsis muscles'

&osterolateral aspect of the knee the tendons of these muscles lie. Stabili+e the patient4s leg by holding it securely wit hyour own legs cup your fingers around knee and feel the tautness of the tendons. Semitendinousis is the most posterior and inferior tendon palpable ne"t is gracilis slightly anterior and medial to the semitendonousis. The semimembronousis muscle remain muscular to its insertion and should not be confused with rest of the muscles

0one ,,, *ateral !spect

Lateral meniscus: it is best palpated when the knee is slightly fle"ed it is attached to the popliteus muscle

Biceps (emoris Tendon

6ommon &eroneal 7erve

It is palpable when it crosses the neck of the fibula slightly inferior to the insertion of bicep femoris gently it can be rolled between the thumb and the neck of the fibula.

0one ,21&osterior !spect

Thank you