The Hot Freaks

Dr. Mike Kochanski of Celar Chiropractic is a certified chiropractic sports physician that treats many other areas of complaint besides low back pain. The Hillside chiropractor commonly treats injuries to the knees, and therefore must have a great understanding of knee anatomy.

The skeletal structure of the knee is formed from three different bones – the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone) and patella (knee cap). The lower end of the femur connects with the tibia and patella at the knee. Here, the femur expands into two protuberances known as the medial and lateral condyles, which meet with both the medial and lateral condyles ofthe tibia and two articular facets of the patella. As the femur inclines inward from the hip, the knee joints are closer to the midline of the body than the hips. This inclination tends to be greater in females because of their wider pelvis. This can lead to more problems, especially if the female has very wide hips, increasing the strain on the knees.Unlike other joints in the body, which are mostly formed by the intersection of two bones, the knee comprises three different connections: two tibiofemoral hinge joints and the planar (sliding) patellofemoral joint.  The tibiofemoral joints are formed where the lateral and medial condyles of the femur meet with the lateral and medial condyles of the tibia, respectively. Two articular menisci (fibrocartilage discs), one lateral and one medial, also form part of these joints. These act to fill the spaces between the bones and help with the circulation of synovial fluid. The medial meniscus is often injured, causing medial knee pain and swelling in the joint. The patellofemoral joint is formed by the convergence of the patellar surface on the front of the femur with the back of the patella.  Improper movement of the patella often leads to pain.Movements permitted at the knee joint include flexion (bending), extension (straightening), a small amount of medial (inward) rotation and some lateral (outward) rotation of the bent leg. The joint is supported by a series of muscle tendons, ligaments and some capsular fibers.

For more information on Dr. Mike Kochanski, visit www.celarchiro.com

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