Classification of knee joint diseases
Below you will find an overview of the most common diseases of the knee joint, arranged in order:
- Injuries to the ligaments of the knee joint
- Injuries to the bony structures of the knee joint
- Illnesses caused by overloading and wear and tear
- Inflammations in the knee
- Specific diseases of the knee joint
If you are not sure what is causing your knee pain, we recommend our self-test to find out the cause and the treatment options.
Injuries to the ligaments of the knee joint
Meniscus damage is the injury or tearing of one of the two cartilage discs located between the femur and tibia. The joint surfaces of the femur and tibia do not fit together. To compensate for this “asymmetry” we have “cartilage discs” in the joint, an inner and an outer meniscus.
A fresh anterior cruciate ligament rupture is the complete or partial interruption of continuity (tear) of the ligament after the overstretch reserve has been exceeded by external force. An old anterior cruciate ligament rupture is a permanent, mostly accident-related ligament injury. Typically, such an injury can occur when the lower leg is fixed while skiing or playing soccer.
A fresh posterior cruciate ligament rupture is the complete or partial interruption of continuity (tear) of the ligament after the overstretch reserve has been exceeded by external force. An old posterior cruciate ligament rupture is the permanent, mostly accident-related ligament damage. Injuries to the outer ligament are usually a tear of the same.
Usually the tear is complete – there are hardly any incomplete ligament tears. The cause is usually a trauma (rotation, dislocation). Depending on the extent of the injury (rupture of the external ligament), the therapy depends on the extent of the injury, which can range from immobilization for a few days to surgery.
The prognosis is usually good. Injuries to the inner ligament are usually a rupture of the same. In most cases the tear is complete – there are hardly any incomplete tears.
The inner ligament usually tears only as a result of trauma. This can be a kink, a rotational trauma or a dislocation of the knee joint, such as occurs when skiing or playing soccer. The therapy of the torn inner ligament depends on the extent of the injury.
Ligament stretching (syn. ligament strain) of the knee is caused by violent movement of the knee joint beyond the normal extent and can affect both the inner and outer ligament. It is one of the most common sports injuries and can be caused, for example, by a sudden rotational movement of the knee.
A torn patella tendon is when the tendon between the front thigh muscles and the lower part of the kneecap tears partially or completely. The term patella tendon rupture is also used as a synonym for patella tendon rupture. A rupture of the patellar tendon usually occurs spontaneously due to excessive tension of the leg against a resistance or when the knee is tensed in a flexed position. Those affected usually express a sudden pain.
