BIOMECHANICS OF KNEE JOINT

IR TA Z A K A Z M I , D e p a rtm e n t o f P h ysio th e ra p y , H FH ,
R a w a lp in d i
TIBIOFEMORAL Joint

 Double Condyloid joint

 Three degrees of freedom of angular
motion
FLEXION EXTENSION
 Occur in
SAGITTAL
PLANE
 Around a
corornal
Axis
 Trough the
epicondyles
of the distal
femur

MEDIAL –LATERAL
ROTATION
 Occur in
TRANSVERS
E PLANE
 About a
Longitudinal
Axis
 Trough the
Lateral side
of the
medial tibial
condye

ABDUCTION &
ADDUCTION
 Occur in
FRONTAL
PLANE
 Around
anteroposte
rior axis
 Trough the
epicondyles
of the distal
femur

Anatomic axis of femur

 -oblique
 Directed inferiorly & medially from
its distal end.

Anatomic axis of tibia

 Directed almost vertically


The femoral and tibial
longitudinal axes
 Thefemoral and tibial longitudinal
axes normally form an angle
medially at knee joint of 180 to
185; that femur is angled upto 5 off
vertical, creating slight physiologic
(normal) valgus angle at the knee.
 If the medial
tibiofemoral
angle is greater
than 185, an
abnormal
condition called
Genu valgum
exists.
 Ifmedial tibiofemoral
angle is less than
175 or less, the
resulting abnormality
is called genu varum.
 Each condition alters
the compressive and
tensile stresses on
the medial and
lateral
compartments of the
 Each condition alters the
compressive and tensile stresses
on the medial and lateral
compartments of the knee

Method to measure the
tibiofemoral alignment
 By drawing a line from the
center of the femoral
head to the center of
the head of the talus
 This line represents the
mechanical axis , or
weight bearing line , of
the lower extremity.
 IN NORMALLY align knee ,
it will pass through the
center of the joint
between the
intercondylar tubercles.
Weight Line

 Canbe used as a simplification of

the ground reaction force as it
travels up the lower extremity.
IN BILATERAL STANCE

 the weight bearing stresses on the

knee joint are, therefore, equally
distributed between the medial
and lateral condyles (or medial and
lateral compartments)

IN CASE OF UNILATERAL
STANCE
 Once unilateral stance is adopted or
dynamic forces are applied or
dynamic forces are applied to the
joint, compartmental loading is
altered.
IN CASE OF UNILATERAL
STANCE
 The weight bearing
line must shift
medially accross the
knee to account for
the now smaller
border of support
below the center of
mass
 This shift increased
the compressive
forces on the medial
compartment.
 ABNORMAL
compartmental
loading may also be
caused by frontal
GENU VALGUM.
 Shiftsthe weight
bearing line onto the
lateral comparmtent
 Increasing the lateral
compressive force
 While increasing the
tensile forces on the
medial structure
GENU VARUM
 Shifts
the weight
bearing line onto
the medial
comparmtent
 Increasing the
medial
compressive force
 While increasing the
tensile forces on
the lateral
structure
RESULT

 Presence of Genu varum or valgum

creates a constant overload of the
lateral or medial articular
cartilage , respectively, which may
result in damage to the cartilage
and the development of frontal
plane laxity.
 GENU VARUM......may
contribute to the
progression of
medial compartment