Chapter 1 - Knee Anatomy and Biomechanics

Abstract

Morphologic differences have been well established between the female and male knee. Osseous anatomy, alignment, joint laxity, and soft tissue anatomy are the most commonly studied disparities, particularly in the context of anterior cruciate ligament injury and patellar instability. In addition to these anatomic differences, there may be neuromuscular differences between genders. Owing to the coinciding rise of female knee injury rates with female participation in sports, studies have sought to discover consistent gender differences that may be risk factors for injury in the female knee. This chapter outlines these aforementioned gender differences in knee anatomy and biomechanics, as they specifically pertain to the female athlete and risk for injury.