Knee Pain Cure

The critical elements of the knee include bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. The femur is the large bone of the thigh. The tibia is the large bone of the lower leg, while the fibula is the smaller bone in the lower leg. Two ligaments are found on the sides of the knee, specifically, the Medial Collateral Ligament and Lateral Collateral Ligament. Inside the knee two ligaments connect the femur and tibia. They are the Posterior Cruciate Ligament and Anterior Cruciate Ligament.

The cartilage called Menisci resides between the femur and the tibia. When two bony surfaces more against one another, they are said to articulate. Articular cartilage covers the ends of the bones of any joint. The white substance has a rubbery and slick consistency and acts as a shock absorber and smooth surface to expedite articulation. Articular cartilage covers the ends of the femur, the top of the tibia and the back of the patella, more commonly known as the kneecap. This cartilage is about 0.5 inch thick and allows bony surfaces to articulate without damage to either bone. The meniscus wraps around the upper bone to the fill the space between the round femur and flat tibia, and distribute the weight bearing over a broader area that would otherwise be concentrated. The weight, therefore, is distributed over the tibia. This weight distribution by the meniscus also protects the articular cartilage from too much concentrated force, which would otherwise lead to damage and degeneration over time.

The Extensor or Quadriceps Mechanism is in front of the knee joint and essentially drives the knee joint. The Extensor is made up of the patella, the patella tendon, the quadriceps tendon and quadriceps muscles. The patella fits into a groove called the patello-femoral groove on the front of the femur. The Patellar Tendon connects the patella to the tibia. This tendon covers the patella and continues up the thigh as the quadriceps tendon.

The Quadracep muscle is the large muscle in the front of the leg, which serve to straighten or extend the leg. The muscles in the back of the knee and thigh are the Hamstring Muscles and they attach in the butt (the ilium) and behind the knee. The Hamstring serves to bend the knee when contracted.

The origins and insertion points for these muscles create substantial risk of tendonitis for the poorly stretched, warmed, hydrated and strengthened muscles. Additionally, it is critical that muscles that are most stressed by your activity are trained. For instance, if you over-train your quads but ignore your adductors and hamstrings, quick starts and stops will overly tax unprepared muscles.

Strong muscles when flexed or contracted can exert great pressure on weaker muscles. It's important to evaluate your exercise program to determine discrepancies and weaknesses in how you are training. Also, unless you are a body builder, make sure you are training the less sexy muscles like the adductors and abductors of the leg.
You will note that the quads and the hamstring muscles attach on the lower leg. The hamstrings serve to flex the knee, while the quads serve to extend the knee. Tendonitis is extremely common. It results from past injuries, overuse, lack of stretching of muscles, and muscle imbalances. Tendonitis is painful and restricts joint mobility, which is so critical in most sport. Icing, stretching, insuring equivalent strength in hamstrings and the quads, and pursuing aerobic fitness through less high impact activities are methods to mitigate the affects of the tendonitis.

The knee, unlike most of the joints of the body that are ball and socket arrangement and hence very secure, has no built in bone to bone stability. The four ligaments of the knee perform the role of securing the lower leg and upper leg. The Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) prevent the knee from moving too far to either side. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), control the front to back motion of the knee joint. The ligaments are critical to stabilizing the knee while, at the same time, providing a strong range of motion.
Injuries are traumatic and caused by a force moving the lower leg out to the side. Pain is felt inside the knee and can involve torn cartilage, strained or torn ligaments, ruptured tendons, or a combination thereof. A sensation of tearing can be felt and often is accompanied by swelling, difficulty walking, and impeded range of motion. Torn cartilage feels as if there is a specific obstruction with the knee, when you attempt to fully extend or flex the knee.

The complex knee mechanism is subject to many breakdowns, particularly after a traumatic shock. Common knee problems include Tendonitis, Anterior Cruciate Ligament Sprains and Tears, Posterior Cruciate Ligament Sprains and Tears, Meniscus Tears, Patellar Problems and Osteoarthritis.