Knee Personal Injuries

Trauma or personal injury to the knee often results from an accident or incident. The knee is noted to be the largest joint in the human body. Studies and reports document that is one of the more easily injured joints. In other words, by its composition and structure, the knee tends to be susceptible to injury from automobile accidents and other forms of trauma. The knee is comprised of tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bones. The knee is a meeting place of sorts for the following three bones:

• the Patella which is commonly referred to as the knee cap;
• the Tibia which is commonly referred to as the shin bone; and
• the Femur which is commonly referred to as the thigh bone.

The knee is comprised of not only the meeting place of the bones but is also comprised and held together by cartilage in the following forms:

Articular Cartilage which covers the end of the femur and tuba and the back of the patella. The Articular Cartilage provides a slippery type of component that helps with the bending and straightening of the leg.

Meniscus which is commonly referred to as the shock absorbers of the knee. The Meniscus helps cushion and stabilize the movement of the knee. Unlike the Articular Cartilage which is a slippery - the Meniscus are noted to be tough and rubber like in its formation and function.

As noted above, the knee is a meeting place of sorts for bones and other components. The bones are connected by Ligaments which essentially hold the bones together and provide knee stability. There are four ligaments which are designated as follows:

• Collateral Ligament located on each side - Left and Right; and
• Cruciate Ligament located on the front and back of the knee - Anterior and Posterior.

There are also Tendons as connective tissue for the knee in the form of the Quadriceps Tendon and the Patella Tendon.

With respect to fractures, a common fracture of the knee involves the Patella Bone. It is well known that a knee fracture can result from trauma including the kind of trauma experienced in an automobile accident. A fracture can result from impact with a dashboard, steering wheel, or a vehicle door.

Trauma from an impact or sudden movement or force can cause personal injuries to the one or more of the various components of the knee resulting from an accident or incident. Treatment for the knee personal injury may involve therapy, pain management, and / or surgical intervention. X-Rays and MRI studies are often utilized to help diagnose the knee injury and recommended course of treatment. A tear to a ligament or meniscus can be extremely painful and interfere with work responsibilities and activities of daily living. A knee injury can significant affect a person's gait or ability to walk. Over time, it is common to see the earlier onset of arthritis and the requirement of a knee replacement in the years following a serious knee injury resulting from an accident or incident.