Oblique popliteal ligament | |
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![]() Right knee-joint. Posterior view. (Oblique popliteal ligament visible at center.) | |
Details | |
From | Lateral epicondyle of the femur, lateral condyle of femur |
To | Medial condyle of tibia |
Identifiers | |
Latin | ligamentum popliteum obliquum |
TA98 | A03.6.08.013 |
TA2 | 1899 |
FMA | 44582 |
Anatomical terminology |
The oblique popliteal ligament (posterior ligament) is a broad, flat, fibrous ligament on the posterior knee. [1] It is an extension of the tendon of the semimembranosus muscle. [1] [2] It attaches onto the intercondylar fossa and lateral condyle of the femur. [2] It reinforces the posterior central portion of the knee joint capsule. [3]
The oblique popliteal ligament is formed as a lateral expansion of the tendon of the semimembranosus muscle [2] and represents one of the muscle's five insertions.[ citation needed ] The ligament blends with the posterior portion of the knee joint capsule. [2] It exhibits a large opening through which nerves and vessels pass. [3]
The ligament extends superolaterally from the semimembranosus tendon to attach onto the intercondylar fossa and lateral condyle of the femur. [2] [3]
The oblique popliteal ligament forms part of the floor of the popliteal fossa;[ citation needed ] the popliteal artery lies upon the ligament. [2] The ligament is pierced by posterior division of the obturator nerve, as well as the middle genicular nerve, the middle genicular artery, and the middle genicular vein.[ citation needed ]
The oblique popliteal ligament may be damaged, causing a valgus deformity. Surgical repair of the ligament often leads to better outcomes than conservative management. [4]
The oblique popliteal ligament may be cut during arthroscopic meniscus repair surgery. [5]
The leg is the entire lower limb of the human body, including the foot, thigh or sometimes even the hip or buttock region. The major bones of the leg are the femur, tibia, and adjacent fibula. The thigh is between the hip and knee, while the calf (rear) and shin (front) are between the knee and foot.
In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body. The knee is a modified hinge joint, which permits flexion and extension as well as slight internal and external rotation. The knee is vulnerable to injury and to the development of osteoarthritis.
In human anatomy, a hamstring is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles between the hip and the knee.
The tibia, also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates ; it connects the knee with the ankle. The tibia is found on the medial side of the leg next to the fibula and closer to the median plane. The tibia is connected to the fibula by the interosseous membrane of leg, forming a type of fibrous joint called a syndesmosis with very little movement. The tibia is named for the flute tibia. It is the second largest bone in the human body, after the femur. The leg bones are the strongest long bones as they support the rest of the body.
The popliteal artery is a deeply placed continuation of the femoral artery opening in the distal portion of the adductor magnus muscle. It courses through the popliteal fossa and ends at the lower border of the popliteus muscle, where it branches into the anterior and posterior tibial arteries.
The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. The tibial nerve passes through the popliteal fossa to pass below the arch of soleus.
The medial collateral ligament (MCL), also called the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) or tibial collateral ligament (TCL), is one of the major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial (inner) side of the knee joint and occurs in humans and other primates. Its primary function is to resist valgus forces on the knee.
The biceps femoris is a muscle of the thigh located to the posterior, or back. As its name implies, it consists of two heads; the long head is considered part of the hamstring muscle group, while the short head is sometimes excluded from this characterization, as it only causes knee flexion and is activated by a separate nerve.
The adductor magnus is a large triangular muscle, situated on the medial side of the thigh.
The semimembranosus muscle is the most medial of the three hamstring muscles in the thigh. It is so named because it has a flat tendon of origin. It lies posteromedially in the thigh, deep to the semitendinosus muscle. It extends the hip joint and flexes the knee joint.
The semitendinosus is a long superficial muscle in the back of the thigh. It is so named because it has a very long tendon of insertion. It lies posteromedially in the thigh, superficial to the semimembranosus.
The popliteus muscle in the leg is used for unlocking the knees when walking, by laterally rotating the femur on the tibia during the closed chain portion of the gait cycle. In open chain movements, the popliteus muscle medially rotates the tibia on the femur. It is also used when sitting down and standing up. It is the only muscle in the posterior (back) compartment of the lower leg that acts just on the knee and not on the ankle. The gastrocnemius muscle acts on both joints.
The middle genicular artery is a small branch of the popliteal artery. It supplies parts of the knee joint.
The lower extremity of femur is the lower end of the femur in human and other animals, closer to the knee. It is larger than the upper extremity of femur, is somewhat cuboid in form, but its transverse diameter is greater than its antero-posterior; it consists of two oblong eminences known as the lateral condyle and medial condyle.
The lateral collateral ligament is an extrinsic ligament of the knee located on the lateral side of the knee. Its superior attachment is at the lateral epicondyle of the femur ; its inferior attachment is at the lateral aspect of the head of fibula. The LCL is not fused with the joint capsule. Inferiorly, the LCL splits the tendon of insertion of the biceps femoris muscle.
The articular capsule of the knee joint is the wide and lax joint capsule of the knee. It is thin in front and at the side, and contains the patella, ligaments, menisci, and bursae of the knee. The capsule consists of an inner synovial membrane, and an outer fibrous membrane separated by fatty deposits anteriorly and posteriorly.
The knee bursae are the fluid-filled sacs and synovial pockets that surround and sometimes communicate with the knee joint cavity. The bursae are thin-walled, and filled with synovial fluid. They represent the weak point of the joint, but also provide enlargements to the joint space. They can be grouped into either communicating and non-communicating bursae or, after their location – frontal, lateral, or medial.
The arcuate popliteal ligament is an Y-shaped extracapsular ligament of the knee. It is formed as a thickening of the posterior fibres of the joint capsule of the knee. It reinforces the knee joint capsule inferolaterally.
The deep fascia of leg or crural fascia forms a complete investment to the muscles, and is fused with the periosteum over the subcutaneous surfaces of the bones.
Posterolateral corner injuries of the knee are injuries to a complex area formed by the interaction of multiple structures. Injuries to the posterolateral corner can be debilitating to the person and require recognition and treatment to avoid long term consequences. Injuries to the PLC often occur in combination with other ligamentous injuries to the knee; most commonly the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). As with any injury, an understanding of the anatomy and functional interactions of the posterolateral corner is important to diagnosing and treating the injury.
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 340 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
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