13 Need to Know Knee Facts

The knees. You/ve heard of the bee's knees, being weak in the knees and knee-jerk reactions, but there's a whole lot more to the knees than a few sayings. We've rounded up some knee facts you may have not known before.

13 Knee Facts You Need to Know

1. There are four major bones in the knee, the femur, the tibia, the fibula and the patella. That means that there are three joints as part of the knee complex, the knee joint between tibia and femur, the patella-femoral joint, kneecap and femur and the superior tibia-fibular joint
2. The knee has 14 ligaments. 7 intracapsular ligaments including the anterior cruciate (ACL) and posterior cruciate (PCL). 7 extracapsular ligaments including the medial collateral (MCL) and the lateral collateral (LCL)
3. The function of the knee is particularly important for weight bearing activities, such as walking, running and going up/down stairs. The load distributed over the kneecap can be up to 5 times the body weight, particularly on going down stairs.
4. Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age. Technically newborns do have kneecaps, however, they don't show up on x-ray very well because they're not ossified, or bony
5. Our knees are all different. It has been suggested that they may be as unique as fingerprints
6. The knee relies on 12 muscles at least to perform its function. 
7. In order for the knee to work perfectly, it relies on a perfect balance between hip and ankle support.
8. Your knee is a very complex joint comprising cartilage, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and it is here that three bones come together - namely the fibula and tibia (lower leg), and the femur (thigh). Your knee consists of two separate joints.
9. An elephant is the only land mammal that cannot jump, its bodyweight is simply too much for any joint to survive that impact.
10. The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body. 
11. The kneecap houses a unique type of bone called the sesamoid bone. This bone is buried within a tendon or muscle.
12. It's the largest and most complicated joint in the body. Like the elbow, it's a hinge, allowing the joint to bend and straighten. 
13. Arthritis is one of the most common diseases found in the knee and occurs when the surfaces of the bone that make up the knee become rough due to wear and tear, inflammation or infection. 

Hopefully these knee facts give you additional insight into the complexity and power of the knee, and help you take the best care of these two precious body parts!

 

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If knee pain is a roadblock to you living your best life, give itBandz knee braces a try!