Knee injuries are commonly diagnosed using X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests.
This article contains pictures of the knee joint, including X-rays, diagrams, and real images of knee injuries.
Common bone injuries in the knee joint include fractures and dislocations.
The image here is a front-to-back view of a healthy knee joint. This is also known as the anteroposterior (AP) view.
Lateral X-rays are particularly helpful at seeing the kneecap, or patella, and the cartilage space behind the kneecap.
Two wedge-shaped piece of meniscus cartilage sit between the articular cartilage of the femur and tibia. The meniscus acts like a shock absorbers.
Meniscal tears are a common sports injury, but can also be caused by arthritis or aging.
When people talk about knee cartilage, they may be talking about either the meniscus cartilage or the articular cartilage.
The medial (inside) and lateral (outside) collateral ligaments control side-to-side movements. The anterior (front) and posterior (rear) cruciate ligaments control front-to-back motions.
In this image, the practitioner points to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
ACL tears are a common knee injury that occurs from quickly changing direction or landing from a jump incorrectly. ACL injuries are more common in soccer, football, and basketball and often involve damage to other structures in the knee.
Many different types of arthritis can occur in the knees, the most common of which is called osteoarthritis.
People often use the words “wear-and-tear” to describe osteoarthritis, as it occurs when the cartilage between joints wears away. This causes pain, stiffness, and trouble moving.
During the procedure, damaged cartilage and bone are removed and replaced with a new implant, made of plastic or metal (or both), to restore the function of the knee.
