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How do the bones that comprise the knee joint fit together?

The bones that comprise the knee joint (femur, tibia, patella) fit together with ligaments as follows:

The Medial Collateral Ligament attaches the femur to the tibia on the medial side.

The Lateral Collateral Ligament attaches the femur to the fibula on the lateral side.

The anterior cruciate ligament attaches the femur to the tibia beneath the patella and in front of the posterior cruciate ligament.

The posterior cruciate ligament attaches the femur to the tibia posterior to the anterior cruciate ligament.

The patellar ligament attaches the patella to the tibia.

Knee Joint Anatomy, Function and Problems. HealthPages.org. 13 Nov. 2013 .

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is also called degenerative or wear-and-tear arthritis because it is generally caused from the articular cartilage, found at the end of the bones in a joint, wearing away. Being that the articular cartilage helps to absorb shock as well as allows bones to articulate smoothly with each other, the loss of it is painful. Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, swelling and loss of normal movement.

Osteoarthritis in the Knee. HealthPages.org. 13 Nov. 2013 .

What are the primary movements of the knee joint?

The primary movements of the knee joint are flexion and extension. The knee can also rotate slightly.

What muscle groups are the most important in flexion and extension of the knee?

The muscle groups that are the most important in flexion and extension of the knee are the quadriceps and the hamstrings as follows. The hamstrings are responsible for flexion of the knee. These muscles include the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and the semimembranosus. The quadriceps are responsible for the extension of the knee. These muscles include the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius (Hole’s Human Anatomy & Physiology, page 336).

Shier, David, Jackie Butler and Ricki Lewis. Hole’s...