57 



THE SECRET OF KNEE ACTION. 



Transcending all other influences upon the action of the 

 knee is that of a sound and healthy foot. This is the great 

 'producer and modifier of knee action. Ask the owners and 

 trainers of "Dexter," "Goldsmith Maid," and "American 

 Girl," the secret of their wonderful performances, and if they 

 tell you truly, they will point to a piece of simple mechanism 

 called a foot-dilator, and tell you the whole secret is in the judi- 

 cious use of that instrument. " A word to the wise is sufficient/' 



THE TENDINOUS EXPANSIONS 



Are all of the white-fibrous variety of tissues, are very tough 

 and inextensible, and constitute those powerful investing mem- 

 branes of joints that enclose the articulation as within a cap- 

 sule, hence the name they commonly receive of capsular liga- 

 ments of the large and small pastern and the coffin-joints, the 

 latter being so close to each other are continuous, and power- 

 fully contributes towards the immunity these joints usually en- 

 joy from dislocations, as luxations of these joints- are very rare 

 compared to those of other joints. 



THE LESSER LIGAMENTS OF THE ARTICULATIONS 



Pertaining to the lower pastern and coffin-joints are all of the 

 same dense tough character as the last described. One class 

 unites the ends of bones where they articulate with each other; 

 and another may be said to brace or tie the joint upon its 

 lateral aspects, so as not to interfere with the hinge-like motion 

 of the joint. The former are therefore called interosseous, and 

 the latter, lateral ligaments. 



The small pastern has one interosseus, and two long and 

 two short lateral ligaments. 



The coffin-joint has two interosseous, two antero-lateral, 

 and two postero-lateral ligaments. The antero-lateral are 

 continuous with the lateral cartilages. 



The stellate ligaments of the navicular bone are of this class. 

 Their functions have been already referred to. 



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