276 



HEALTH AND DISEASE 



the patella to the femur and tibia; those which unite the two last-named 

 bones together; and those which attach the semilunar cartilages to them. 



Patellar Ligaments. — These are five in number — two lateral and 

 three straigJit. The lateral ligaments extend from the inner and outer 

 sides of the patella to corresponding parts of the lower extremity of the 

 femur. 



The straight ligaments, distinguished as the external, internal, and 



middle, are attached above to the anterior 

 surface of the patella, and below to the 

 anterior tuberosity of the tibia. 



The middle ligament plays over a 

 synovial bursa in the groove below which 

 it is attached, and is, besides, clothed in a 

 thick cushion of fot. 



The Femoro-tibial Ligaments are five 



in number, viz. two lateral, two crucial, 

 and a posterio7: The lateral ligaments are 

 situated one on either side, and extend 

 from the inner and outer condyle of the 

 femur respectively, to the superior extremity 

 of the tibia on the inner side, and to the 

 fibula on the outer side. 



The Crucial Ligaments. — These are 

 two thick short bands situated in the notch 

 which separates the two condyles, where 

 they cross each other like the lines of the 

 letter X. The anterior branch is attached 

 to the spine on the upper end of the tibia, 

 and to the intercondyloid notch and the 

 external condyle. The posterior branch is 

 united by its lower extremity to the superior 

 and posterior part of the tibia, and by its 

 upper end to the notch between the condyles and to the internal condyle. 

 The Posterior Ligament is practically the posterior section of the 

 capsular ligament of the femoro-tibial articulation. It is attached to the 

 femur, behind and above the condyles, and to the posterior part of the 

 head of the tibia, just below its articular margin. It joins the lateral 

 ligaments, uniting the femur and tibia on either side, and its inner face 

 is lined by synovial membrane. 



The Interartieular Fibro-eartilages are the crescentic pieces of 

 dense fibro-cartilage upon which the condyles of the femur are made to 



Fig. 359. — Femoro-tibial Articulation or 

 StiHe-Joiiit 



1, Femur. 2, Patella. .3, Middle straight 

 ligament. 4, External straight ligament. 

 5, External lateral ligament of patella. 6, 

 Outer condyle. 7, External lateral femoro- 

 tibial ligament. 8, Fibula. 9, Tibia. 10, 

 External inter-articular cartilage. 



