Clinical aspects of the equine stifle joints Part 2: The femorotibial joint

Abstract

The femoropatellar joint is the articulation between the femoral trochlea and the patella which acts as the surface over which the patella glides. The medial trochlear ridge is considerably larger than the lateral trochlear ridge.The patella has three distal ligaments: the medial patellar ligament originates via a wide attachment to both the medial aspect and base of the patella via a broad region of fibrocartilaginous tissue and attaches distally medial to the groove on the cranial aspect of the tibial tuberosity; the middle patellar ligament courses from the cranial aspect of the patella to an attachment on the tibial tuberosity; and the lateral patellar ligament which runs from the lateral part of the patella to the lateral aspect of the tibial crest.The femoropatellar joint is a voluminous joint that readily produces an effusion in the presence of pathology. Such effusions are usually readily palpable as fluid swellings discernible between the patellar ligaments. In some disease situations the effusion from the joint can be massive, completely obscuring the patellar ligaments.There is also a large proximal suprapatellar pouch, although