Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) specialists think knees are a pretty amazing, if not underrated, body part. It seems like the only time we pay any attention to it is when something goes wrong, like CRPS pain. You may not know what it exactly entails, but you do know that if your favorite athlete tears his ACL, he or she is going to be riding the pine pony.
So let's take a little moment here to acknowledge one of the hardest working areas on the body. The knee wins the prize of largest joint on your body. And with all the use and abuse it takes, it is no wonder that it is prone to injury. Four and a half million Americans are living with a total knee replacement, and that number is on the rise.
By explaining the parts of the knee, I hope you will get a good sense of how it works. The knee connects the three major bones of the leg in a way which allows movements like extension and bending, as well as a little from side to side. Your thighbone or femur is the largest and strongest bone in your body.
The shinbone, or patella, is the stronger of the two bones in the lower leg and connects to the ankle bones. The calf bone, or fibula, is a slender bone that sets at a slight angle beside the shinbone. Articular Cartilage is what you will find where the upper and lower leg bones meet. This coating will help the knee's movement to be fluid motion. This is all protected by the patella, or kneecap, a small bone that covers this area.
The bones are connected by ligaments; these are the ones that athletes often tear. Injuries can happen when the knee is suddenly twisted, like from a tackle or even just from landing awkwarding from a jump. The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is a short ligament that keeps the bones of the knee together and is crucially for stability.
The MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) adds stability to the inner side of the knee and connects the shin bone to the thigh bone. The LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament) connects the calf bone to the thighbone and works to stabilize the outer side of the knee. Another important piece of the knee is the Meniscus; basically the shock absorber of the knee.
Remember your knee is supporting the weight of your whole body. Not just supporting it but moving it. A pretty amazing thing considering you probably haven't thought about your knee since the last time you bumped into something with it walking around in the middle of the night.
The average American can take around six thousands steps in one day. For everyone one of them, the components of your knee are working together in beautiful harmony to make each one happen as fluidly as the next. If this isn't the case, you are one of the many Americans experiencing chronic knee pain, and CRPS specialists can help with pain management.
So let's take a little moment here to acknowledge one of the hardest working areas on the body. The knee wins the prize of largest joint on your body. And with all the use and abuse it takes, it is no wonder that it is prone to injury. Four and a half million Americans are living with a total knee replacement, and that number is on the rise.
By explaining the parts of the knee, I hope you will get a good sense of how it works. The knee connects the three major bones of the leg in a way which allows movements like extension and bending, as well as a little from side to side. Your thighbone or femur is the largest and strongest bone in your body.
The shinbone, or patella, is the stronger of the two bones in the lower leg and connects to the ankle bones. The calf bone, or fibula, is a slender bone that sets at a slight angle beside the shinbone. Articular Cartilage is what you will find where the upper and lower leg bones meet. This coating will help the knee's movement to be fluid motion. This is all protected by the patella, or kneecap, a small bone that covers this area.
The bones are connected by ligaments; these are the ones that athletes often tear. Injuries can happen when the knee is suddenly twisted, like from a tackle or even just from landing awkwarding from a jump. The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is a short ligament that keeps the bones of the knee together and is crucially for stability.
The MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) adds stability to the inner side of the knee and connects the shin bone to the thigh bone. The LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament) connects the calf bone to the thighbone and works to stabilize the outer side of the knee. Another important piece of the knee is the Meniscus; basically the shock absorber of the knee.
Remember your knee is supporting the weight of your whole body. Not just supporting it but moving it. A pretty amazing thing considering you probably haven't thought about your knee since the last time you bumped into something with it walking around in the middle of the night.
The average American can take around six thousands steps in one day. For everyone one of them, the components of your knee are working together in beautiful harmony to make each one happen as fluidly as the next. If this isn't the case, you are one of the many Americans experiencing chronic knee pain, and CRPS specialists can help with pain management.
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