In a healthy person, all of the parts of the knee or hip joint work together, and the joint moves easily and without pain. However, disease or injury can disturb the knee joint, which can result in knee pain, muscle weakness, and limited movement. The knee is a very complex joint, vulnerable to injuries. While many knee injuries can be successfully treated with simple measures, such as bracing and rehabilitation exercises, other injuries may require surgery to correct.
At Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital you can find the best team of orthopaedic specialists ready to help you regain your freedom of movement.
- The knee is one of the largest joints in the body, and one of the most easily injured
- It is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons
- 3 bones meet to form the knee joint: the thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella)
- The knee joint functions like a hinge at the junction of the femur and tibia
- The ends of the bones are covered with a thick cushion of hard, white cartilage
- 2 wedge-shaped pieces of meniscal cartilage act as "shock absorbers" between the femur and tibia
- The 4 main ligaments are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL), and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
- These ligaments act like strong ropes to hold the bones together and keep the knee stable
To avoid or reduce the discomfort of the joints is to maintain a healthy weight at all times or lose excess weight if that is the case.
Vitamin C and calcium are important to take; vitamin C is necessary for the formation of collagen which is known to support joint tissue; calcium strengthens bones.
Remember to warm up before exercising to prevent injury.
Stretching helps maintain range of motion, build muscle and promote flexibility.
Keep moving to avoid joint stiffness.
- Bilateral Knee Replacement
- Cartilage Injury Treatments
- Computer-Assisted Orthopaedic Surgery (Knee)
- Computer-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Repair/Reconstruction
- Meniscal Tear Surgeries
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Non-operative Knee Arthritis Treatment
- Non-operative Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury Treatment
- Non-operative Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury Treatment
- Non-operative Meniscal Tear Treatment
- Non-operative Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury Treatment
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Reconstruction
- Revision Knee Surgery
- Total Knee Replacement