Knee surgery : Specialists

How does the knee work?

The knee is the junction between the thigh and leg and consists of two joints: one between the thigh bone (femur) and knee cap (patella) and the other between the thigh bone (femur) and shinbone (tibia).

The knee has the responsibility of supporting the entire weight of the body which makes it particularly prone to stresses and strains. If is often injured during sport, e.g. football as well as being subject to general wear and tear, e.g. osteoarthritis.

What can go wrong with the knee?

The knee is subject to various problems such as misalignment, injury, accident and wear and tear over time. Common problems include:

• Arthritis
• Torn cartilage
• Patellofemoral syndrome
• Damaged ligaments, e.g. anterior cruciate ligament
• Tendonitis
• Fracture (rare)
• Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS)

What does a knee specialist do?

He or she is highly trained in the diagnosis and treatment of various knee complaints. A knee specialist is usually an orthopaedic specialist or surgeon who performs surgery for a wide range of knee complaints. These include:

• Arthroscopy
• Partial knee replacement
• Full knee replacement
• Knee ligament reconstruction, e.g. anterior cruciate ligament
• Repair torn meniscus
• Repair torn tendons
• Bursectomy (removal of inflamed bursa in the knee joint)