Knee Pain »
How is the knee designed, and what is its function?
The knee is a
joint that has three compartments. The thigh bone (femur) meets the large
shin bone (tibia) forming the main knee joint. This joint has an
inner (medial) and an outer (lateral) compartment.
The kneecap (patella)
joins the femur to form a third compartment, called the patellofemoral joint.
The knee joint is surrounded by a joint capsule with ligaments strapping
the inside and outside of the joint (collateral ligaments) as well as
crossing within the joint (cruciate ligaments). These ligaments provide
stability and strength to the knee joint.
The meniscus is a thickened
cartilage pad between the two joints formed by the femur and tibia. The
meniscus acts as a smooth surface for motion and absorbs the load of the body above the knee when standing. The knee joint
is surrounded by fluid-filled sacs called bursae, which serve as
gliding surfaces that reduce friction...
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While I was in the Navy I served five straight years of sea duty on destroyers. These small ships have many levels and lots of stairs. The boots I wore were standard issue steel toe boots. Over time, going up and down so many stairs every day as well as standing watches which required me to be on my feet for five or six hours at a time, my knees became quite achy. It hurt them to sit for long periods, it hurt when I woke up in the morning. Eventually it hurts just to go up or down stairs. My knees did not keep me from being discharged at the termination of my contract; however, I applied for disability at the VA and was granted 10%. Almost three years later, I still occasionally experience that familiar dull ache behind my kneecaps. Just this morning I awoke to find that my left knee was just not happy with me. Published: October 13 ::