THE STIFLE JOINT 97 



and the foot raised from the ground. This is one of the diagnostic 

 symptoms. The disease is generally accounted as not being amenable to 

 treatment. 



The Coronary Ligaments. — Three of these little slips are attached to 

 the outer meniscus and two to the inner. One from each disc is attached 

 to the tibia in front of the spine, and one from each disc is attached 

 similarly behind the spine. The additional slip from the external disc 

 takes a course upwards, and is attached to the femur at the back of the 

 intercondyloid groove. 



In the human subject rupture of the coronary ligaments is a common 

 occurrence, and displacement of a disc follows. This is frequently found 

 in athletes, and treatment causes much annoyance on account of the 

 liability which the displacement has to recur. 



Ligaments of the Patella. — These are six in number, three of which 

 are femoro-patellar, and three tibio-patellar. 



(a) Femoro-patellar Ligaments. — These consist of : 



(i) Femoro-Patellar Capsule. This is membranous, and is 

 attached posteriorly around the edge of the articular surface of the 

 femoral trochlea, and anteriorly around the edge of the articular 

 surface of the patella. Superiorly the ligament is very thin and 

 delicate, and laterally it is much thicker and stronger. It is lined 

 by the femoro-patellar synovial membrane. It is clothed superiorly 

 by the crural muscles. 



(2) Lateral Patellar Ligaments. These are two in number, one 



on either side. They are commonly described as separate ligaments, 



but occasionally simply as lateral thickenings of the capsule. They 



are thin bands which run from the excentric sides of the lips of the 



trochlea to the patella. 



(^) Tibio-P ate liar Ligaments. — These are usually designated as the 



external, middle, and internal straight ligaments of the patella. All three 



are attached superiorly to the anterior face of the patella, the internal one, 



as already stated, being provided with a fibro-cartiiaginous thickening 



