The knee can be regarded with distaste by many practitioners who have achieved poor results on many knee problems. However, a closer scrutiny of the knee can greatly enlighten the practitioner and patient in order to bring about better treatment results.

This common area for orthopaedic complaints is the joint between the longest and next-to-longest bones of the body. It is subject to considerable stress and has great demands placed on it.

Unknown to many, it is the largest joint in the body. It is a modified hinge joint, and as such, provides a wide range of movement. Like the elbow, the knee's greatest range of motion is bending. During the hinge-like motion of bending and straightening, there is also a gliding, with some rotation plus a final 'screw home' action locking the knee into full extension (straightening).

Knee injuries can be divided into three kinds:

1. The acute direct trauma often resulting in ligament or cartilage injury.

2. Acute non-contact trauma such as an individual running, suddenly changing direction and the knee gives. Here again there may be ligament or cartilage damage.

3. Insidious knee pain that develops from constant stress to the tissues from poor bony alignment, poor muscle support or stress put on the knee from other areas, eg, hip, pelvis or lower back.