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Common Injuries in Athletics
Anatomy of the Knee
The knee is made up of four basic bones: femur or thighbone, tibia, fibula, and patella or kneecap. The main articulation of the knee joint is between the femur and tibia. Where these two bones come together are two pads of cartilage called the medial and lateral meniscus, which cushion any stresses placed on the knee joint and maintain a space between the femur and tibia so bone is not rubbing against bone.
The patella is located on the anterior aspect of the knee and lies in the tendon of the quad muscle group. Its purpose is to increase the mechanical advantage of the quad muscle group by acting as a lever/pulley system for extending the knee. Four main ligaments support and stabilize the knee. The medial collateral and lateral collateral ligaments are on the medial and lateral sides of the knee connecting the femur to the tibia.
The anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments lie inside the knee and connect the femur to the tibia on the interior. The knee is made up of a large number of muscles which must work together in a highly complex fashion to allow for the knee to function properly. The muscles of the quad and hamstrings are just a few of the muscles that control movements of the knee, allowing for extension and flexion of the knee.
Common Injuries
- Contusions
- Knee joint contusions.
Common in contact sports such as football, hockey, or soccer. Caused by a direct blow struck against the muscles crossing the knee joint.
Symptoms - Bruising, severe pain, loss of movement and inflammation.
- Sprains
- Knee ligament sprains.
Common in football, basketball, and wrestling.
Caused by a medial or lateral force applied to either side of the knee, extreme twisting, and rotation of knee.
Symptoms - Pain, loss of stability, swelling, possible bruising, and inflammation.
- Cartilage (meniscus) Damage
- Medial or lateral meniscus tear.
Common in football, wrestling, and basketball.
Caused by rotating on the knee while weight bearing and extending or flexing the knee.
Symptoms - Pain, loss of motion, locking sensation with inability to flex or extend knee, and pain in area of tear.
- Patellar Fracture
- Fracture of kneecap.
Common in contact sports such as football, soccer, and hockey.
Caused by direct or indirect trauma to kneecap.
Symptoms - Swelling, pain, and hemorrhage.
- Dislocation
- Kneecap dislocation.
Common in football, basketball, wrestling, and soccer.
Caused by sudden twisting of the body while the foot or feet are planted.
Symptoms - Complete loss of knee function, pain, and swelling. Kneecap is resting in abnormal position.
- Tendonitis
- Patellar or quadriceps tendonitis.
Common in running and jumping sports such as track and basketball.
Caused by repetitive running, jumping, or kicking which causes inflammation of the tendon.
Symptoms - Any combination of pain before, during, or after activity.
