Perspectiva General de Rodilla

Perspectiva General de Rodilla

Como una de las articulaciones más grandes y avanzadas del cuerpo humano, la rodilla es fundamental para la movilidad. Su compleja estructura y su constante utilización hacen que sea particularmente vulnerable a las lesiones. Aunque la utilidad esencial de la rodilla en el cuerpo humano es universalmente conocida, muchas personas no son conscientes de su complejidad y de las numerosas piezas que convergen para asegurar que funcione correctamente. 

La anatomía de la rodilla se extiende mucho más allá de la articulación de la rodilla, ya que sus componentes incluyen huesos, tendones, ligamentos, músculos y cartílago. Las lesiones en cualquiera de los siguientes componentes individuales dificultarán la funcionalidad general de la rodilla:

Cápsula de Articulación de la Rodilla

The joint capsule surrounding the entire knee contains the synovial membrane, which provides nourishment to all constructs surrounding the knee.  Ligaments surrounding the capsule provide it with support.

Huesos

Hay cuatro huesos que se conectan en la rodilla:

• Fémur: También conocido como el hueso del muslo, el fémur es el hueso más grande y fuerte del cuerpo humano.

• Tibia:La tibia, o espinilla, se extiende hasta el tobillo y tiene dos meniscos absorbentes de golpes unidos a la parte superior, donde se encuentra con la rodilla.

• Peroné:El peroné se extiende hasta el tobillo y es un hueso delgado en el lado lateral de la pierna que corre paralelo con la tibia.

• Rótula:También conocida como la tapa de rodilla, la rótula se encuentra frente a la articulación de la rodilla.

Ligamentos

Ligaments present in and around the knee are essential in maintaining its stability as they connect the femur bone to the tibia bone and therefore, damage to them will almost certainly constrain an individual’s mobility. These four ligaments are as follows:

• Ligamento Colateral Lateral (LCL): The LCL functions to withstand impact from the knee’s inner surface. These impacts are also known as varus forces. It extends from the head of the fibula bone to the external surface of the femur bone.
• Ligamento Colateral Medial (MCL): Just as the LCL resists impact from the knee’s inner surface, the MCL resists forces stemming from the outer surface of the knee, which are known as valgus forces.  The MCL ligament is located between the inner surfaces of the femur and tibia bones.
• Ligamento Cruzado Anterior (LCA): As one of the most vital pieces of the knee, the ACL typically requires surgical repair and significant rehabilitation when injured.  The ACL is a cruciate ligament, meaning it is located inside the knee, while the collateral ligaments are located on either side of the knee.  Its primary functions are preventing the tibia from moving in front of the femur and providing rotational stability for the knee.
• Ligamento Cruzado Posterior (PCL): Forming an X with the ACL in the middle of the knee joint, the PCL also works to connect the femur to the tibia.  The PCL serves to prevent the backwards movement of the tibia and thus, an injury to it requires substantial force.

Menisco

More commonly referred to as the knee’s cartilage, the menisci exist in two places: the outer edges and inner edges of the tibia bone. The role of the menisci is to absorb shock to the knee and evenly distribute weight between the tibia and femur bones.

Cartílago

The cartilage of the knee is an elastic tissue known as articular cartilage that serves the purpose of protecting the bones and allowing the joints to move smoothly.  Like the menisci, the cartilage also absorbs shock.

Músculos

Hay dos grupos musculares primarios que rodean la rodilla, los cuadriceps y los tendones de la corva, que juegan un papel importante en el movimiento y la estabilización de la rodilla.

Cuádriceps: Four muscles comprise the quadriceps, which converge to form the quadriceps tendon.  The quadriceps tendon is attached to the patella, which is attached to tibia by the patellar tendon.
Isquiotibales: The hamstrings muscle group is comprised of three muscles and it enables flexibility of the knee.  The hamstring muscles connect to both the fibula and tibia.

All the individual parts of the knee work together to enable its flexibility and maintenance of stability.  The range of motion (ROM) of the knee is measured in flexion degrees; in men, the normal ROM is -6 to 140 degrees and in women, the normal ROM is -5 to 143 degrees. Different activities require varying degrees of movement, some of which are illustrated below:

Injuries to the knee typically occur as a result of movement beyond the normal range of motion, abnormal movement, or strenuous activity. To know more about knee treatment, you can try out these helpful los 5 mejores estiramientos para aliviar el dolor de rodilla.