Knee A to Z

When you have had a definite knee injury, the type of damage will depend on the nature of the injury. Page updated March 2024 by Dr Sheila Strover (Clinical Editor)

A knee mouse is a loose piece of cartilage floating free in the knee joint - more correctly called a 'loose body'.

There are two main muscle groups above the knee - quadriceps at the front and hamstrings at the back. Three main muscles make up the calf - gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris.

Knee noises may be normal in the knee or may signify problems, depending upon the nature and trigger for the noise.

Knee pain is pain experienced in the knee, although it may not necessarily arise from the knee bones.

A knee replacement is the operation of replacing some or all of the knee joint with implants of metal and plastic.

Different designs of knee prosthesis use different materials, usually metal, plastic and ceramic.

A number of operating room issues are of importance when making choices about knee replacement.

There is no particular qualification in knee surgery itself. Most surgeons specialising in knee surgery are qualified in general orthopaedic surgery, and have gravititated towards specialising in knees.

Knock knees, where the knees tend to touch while the feet are apart, are also known as valgus knees.