KNEE-JOINT 6a 



reaching round to the part above the groove for semimem- 

 branosus. 



The External Lateral ligament is a rounded ligament attached 

 above to a tubercle on the outer surface of the external condyle 

 and below to the head of the fibula in front of the styloid pro- 

 cess ; at its attachment it splits the tendon of biceps. This 

 ligament is inside the capsule and not part of it. 



The Inir a- Articular Ligaments. The ligaments inside the 

 knee-jointure more important than the intra- articular ligaments 

 of any other joint. 



The Crucial ligaments are two rounded tendinous bands at- 

 tached to the head of the tibia and the non-articular surfaces of 

 the condyles of the femur ; they are called anterior and posterior, 

 according to their tibial attachment. The Anterior Crucial liga- 

 ment is attached to the head of the tibia just in front of the 

 spine, and passes upwards and backwards, to be attached to the 

 posterior part of the inner surface of the external condyle. 

 This ligament is tense during extension. The Posterior Crucial 

 ligament is attached to the head of the tibia behind the spine, 

 and passes upwards and forwards, to be attached to the anterior 

 part of the outer surface of the internal condyle. This ligament 

 is tense during flexion. 



The Semilunar Cartilages are placed between the articulating 

 surfaces of the tibia and femur ; they each have a thick convex 

 outer border attached to the surface of the tibia, and a concave 

 inner border ending in horns, anterior and posterior. The 

 internal one forms nearly a semicircle. The anterior horn is 

 attached just in front of the anterior crucial ligament, and the 

 posterior horn just in front of the posterior crucial ligament 

 between it and the spine. The external one is nearly circular, 

 its two horns being attached one each side of the spine. 



The transverse ligament is a rounded band stretched between 

 the anterior margins of the two semilunar cartilages. 



The synovial membrane is very large and complicated. It 

 completely invests the capsule, all the interarticular liga- 

 ments, and a pad of fat which is found beneath the patella, 

 where it forms a fold attached to the patella and the anterior 

 part of the intercondyloid notch. This is called the plica 





