Knees: Our Body’s Achilles Heel

By: Battle McFadden

Overview
● Our knees are not designed to withstand the stress they absorb in modern day
life
○ They’re realistically only able to take 35 - 40 years of use and abuse
● The knees begin to fall apart once the ligaments are stretched and weakened
and when the cartilage begins to deteriorate due to constant pressure/contact
● Its surprising our knees can even last as long as they do especially with the
stress football, basketball, tennis, skiing, running, and other physical activities
put on them
● An estimated 50 million Americans have experienced a significant knee injury
Anatomy of the Knee
Ligaments (located in the center)
● Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
○ Controls rotation and forward movement
of the tibia (shin)
○ Causes for a potential tear:
■ Most commonly injured in sports
■ Sudden stops/change in direction
■ Jumping and landing
● Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)
○ Controls backward movement of the
tibia
○ Strongest ligament in the knee (least
commonly injured)
○ Causes for a potential tear:
■ Overextended
Ligaments (located on the sides)
● Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)
○ Inside of knee
○ Gives stability to the inner knee
○ Cause of injury:
■ Strong force applied to the outside
of the knee
● Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)
○ Outside of knee
○ Gives stability to the outer knee
○ Cause of injury:
■ Direct force on the inside of the
knee
■ Common during dislocations
Cartilage
● Meniscus
○ Provides cushion between femur
(thighbone) and tibia (shin)
○ 2 types of menisci in each knee joint
■ Lateral Meniscus (LM)
■ Medial Meniscus (MM)
○ Causes for a potential tear:
■ Direct contact or pressure from a
forced rotation/twist
■ Sudden pivot
■ Heavy lifting/squatting
Implications if Ligament/Cartilage is Torn
● ACL tear
○ 6-9 months
● PCL tear
○ 9-12 months
● MCL tear
○ Can heal on its own - no surgery necessary
○ Grade 1: few day - 2 weeks
○ Grade 2: 2 - 4 weeks
● LCL tear
○ 3 - 9 months
● Meniscus tear
○ Approximately 3 months
● All recovery times are subject to the patient. Some may take shorter than usual
but some could take much longer depending on rehabilitation process.
My Knee Operations and Experiences
● Osteochondritis dissecans of the patella (in both knees)
○ Lesion of the cartilage underneath the kneecap
○ Applied Denovo (natural tissue graft)
○ Recovery time depends on severity of the injury
■ Approximately 4 - 8 months
■ Had second operation 3 months after the first surgery
● Denovo overgrew in the right knee causing a crunch whenever I would extend
my leg
○ Arthroscopic - quick shaving
○ 3 month full recovery
○ Able to walk 3 weeks post op.
Works Cited
“All About Your Knees.” WebMD, WebMD, 2018,
www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/ss/slideshow-all-about-knees.

Brody, Jane E., and New York Times. “KNEES: THE BODY'S ACHILLES' HEEL OUR WEAKEST JOINTS NEED EXTRA ATTENTION.”
OrlandoSentinel.com, 9 Oct. 2018, www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1988-05-24-0040230020-story.html.

Cohen, Rachel. “Why Is The Knee So Vulnerable To Injuries?” Tulsa Pain, 15 Mar. 2017,
www.tulsapain.com/blog/why-knee-so-vulnerable-injuries.

Davis , Kathleen. “The Knee: Anatomy, Injuries, Treatment, and Rehabilitation.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, Aug.
2017, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/299204.

“Knee Joint Injury.” Knee Joint Injury | Sports Medicine Information, 2009, www.nsmi.org.uk/articles/knee-joint-injury.html.

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons . “Common Knee Injuries - OrthoInfo - AAOS.” OrthoInfo, 2014,
orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/common-knee-injuries/.

Staff , Mayo Clinic. “ACL Injury.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 30 Mar. 2019,
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acl-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350738.

“Knee Ligament Injuries.” Stanford Health Care (SHC) - Stanford Medical Center, 11 Sept. 2017,
stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/bones-joints-and-muscles/knee-ligament-injury.html.