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Knee

Conditions involving the knee range from extremely painful and debilitating to chronic or nagging pain that over time can impact your mobility and quality of life. There are many causes of knee pain. And there are many solutions.
Meet Our Knee Specialists

Common Knee Conditions

The knee is a complex joint consisting of the lower end of the thigh bone (femur), the upper end of the shinbone (tibia), and the kneecap (patella) held together by large ligaments. A meniscus (cartilage pad) provides cushioning between the bones and absorbs shock during motion.

The most common injuries to the knee, especially in athletes, are tears or sprains to the ligaments — the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL) — as well as damage to the meniscus.

Common Treatment Options

OPA features several of Alaska’s knee doctors with extensive experience in the latest treatment options available. Several also have additional subspecialty training in Sports Medicine, Total Joint Replacement and Orthopedic Trauma.

Physical Therapy
Home Exercise
Medication
Traction
Lifestyle Modification
 

All OPA physicians are board certified and several within the knee team have additional fellowship training in areas such as total joint replacement, trauma, and sports medicine. As with all OPA care teams, our providers consult with each other and use their collective expertise to offer patients the most appropriate and effective treatment plans possible.

Knee Pain
The knee is the largest joint in the body, and one of the most easily injured. It is made up of four main structures: bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Three bones meet to form your knee joint: your thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). The flexibility of the knee makes it prone to injury.

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Knee Sprain
The knee is the largest joint in the body, and one of the most easily injured. It is made up of four main structures: bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Three bones meet to form your knee joint: your thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). The flexibility of the knee makes it prone to injury.

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ACL Injuries
An ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury is one of the most common and well-known orthopedic injuries. The ACL is a very important ligament because it prevents the tibia (shin bone) from sliding in front of the femur (thigh bone). The ACL stabilizes the knee while walking, running, jumping, and moving from side to side. The posterior collateral ligament is within the knee and prevents the femur from sliding off the anterior edge of the tibia and to prevent the tibia from displacing posterior (similar to the anterior cruciate ligament ) and is not as commonly injured.

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MCL | LCL Injuries
Your kneecap sits in front of the joint to provide some protection. Bones are connected to other bones by ligaments. There are four primary ligaments in your knee. They act like strong ropes to hold the bones together and keep your knee stable. The medial collateral ligament is on the inside and the lateral collateral ligament is on the outside. They control the sideways motion of your knee and brace it against unusual movement.

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Meniscal Tear
The femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) come together to form the knee joint. The joint is the largest in the body. It supports, stabilizes, and moves the lower body. The meniscus is an important piece of soft cartilage in the knee joint. The meniscus is located between the femur and tibia—serving as a shock absorber that distributes weight and protects the bones from rubbing against each other. A meniscus tear occurs when a piece of the meniscus is torn.

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Knee Osteoarthritis
The knee is the largest joint in the body, and one of the most easily injured. It is made up of four main structures: bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Three bones meet to form your knee joint: your thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common orthopedic conditions. It is characterized by the wear and tear of knee cartilage with age. Knee bone becomes inflamed as cartilage loses its integrity and function. Painful bone spurs may develop. Joint space decreases.

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More Knee Conditions

OPA Knee Team

The OPA team includes Alaska’s leading knee specialists and offers some of the latest, most advanced treatment procedures available today.

OPA treats a wide variety of conditions and offers comprehensive treatment options — including many non-surgical solutions, minimally invasive, and total joint replacements.

All treatments work to restore pain-free function that allows patients to lead active, fulfilling lives, be it walking pain-free or getting back into athletic action.

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Our Knee Providers

More Knee Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain
The patella or kneecap is a small bone that protects the knee and connects the large thigh muscles to the tibia or shin bone. Patellofemoral pain, which is also referred to as “runner’s knee” or “jumper’s knee”, describes pain near the front of the knee and around the patella (kneecap). Usually, patellofemoral pain is caused by abnormal kneecap alignment and/or overuse. Athletes and active individuals are most at risk; however, anyone can experience patellofemoral pain.

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Patella Fracture
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that consists of several interconnected parts. The acromioclavicular (AC) joint connects the upper part of the shoulder blade to the collarbone or clavicle. The glenohumeral joint connects the shoulder socket, or glenoid, which extends from the shoulder blade to the arm bone, or humerus. The shoulders flexibility can make it prone to injury. This often happens when stress is placed on the tissues that stabilize the shoulder.

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Patella Tendon Tear
The patellar tendon attaches the bottom of the kneecap (patella) to the top of the shinbone (tibia). It is actually a ligament that connects to two different bones, the patella and the tibia. The patella is attached to the quadriceps muscles by the quadriceps tendon. Working together, the quadriceps muscles, quadriceps tendon and patellar tendon straighten the knee. The patella tendon can be partially or completely torn.

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Patellar Instability
The patella (kneecap) attaches to the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) by tendons. When the knee bends, the patella slides evenly up and down within a v-shaped groove (trochlea) at the end of the femur (thigh bone). In some people, the patella is pulled out of the groove towards the outside of the knee causing patella instability, sometimes referred to as patella subluxation.

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Baker's Cyst
The knee is the largest joint in the body, and one of the most easily injured. It is made up of four main structures: bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Three bones meet to form your knee joint: your thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). A Baker’s cyst or popliteal cyst is a small benign (non-cancerous) cyst on the back of the knee. A Baker’s cyst forms when knee joint-lubricating synovial fluid builds up in the back of the knee.

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Questions?

The OPA team includes Alaska’s leading specialists and offers some of the latest, most advanced treatment procedures available today.

OPA treats a wide variety of conditions and offers comprehensive treatment options — including many non-surgical solutions, minimally invasive arthroscopies (repairs), and total joint replacement.

Make an Appointment
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