Most of us know little more about the knobby bone in the middle of our leg other then it can get hurt in sports, women cut it when shaving, and it sticks out in a strange way. Our knee cap is just a small part of the overall structure of the knee, the part that we see sticking out. Below the surface there are ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and other bones working together to help us stand, sit, walk, and run.
We tend to take our knees for granted, never thinking about how they help us move and perform just about every action we do. Imagine trying to sit in a chair if your knees didn’t bend! Running would be impossible without the action of bending the leg at the knee. I suppose we might be able to manage walking, with a stiff legged waddle like a penguin. Having knees is what gives us the ability to move freely, jump, squat, and kick. The knee is also essential for most jobs and can become easily injured in on the job accidents.
The joint of your knee is formed where your top and bottom leg bones meet and is covered by the knee cap. Loads of tendons, muscles, and ligaments work together to create the bending and slight side to side movements of the knee. When you bend your legs the hamstring muscles pull the tibia back, and when you straighten your leg the quadriceps muscles and tendons pull on the knee cap. It all works without our conscious thinking to bend and straighten the knee and allow us to perform every leg movement.
Knee injuries at work are a common occurrence in workers compensation cases. If you have hurt your knee at work, you should protect your rights to compensation benefits by speaking with a qualified attorney. Contact our office at 888-799-3918 or use our online form.
