The knee cartilages
Menisci · menisci
Two C-shaped cushions of cartilage inside your knee that spread the load.
What it does
Two crescent-shaped pads of tough, rubbery cartilage sit on top of the tibia, one on the inside and one on the outside of the knee. They deepen the shallow top of the tibia to cradle the rounded femur, spread your body weight and absorb shocks.
Surprising fact
Only the outer edge of each meniscus has a blood supply, so tears in the inner part rarely heal on their own.
Why it matters
Twisting on a bent, loaded knee can tear a meniscus, causing pain, swelling and sometimes locking. In older people, small tears from wear are common and often settle without surgery.
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Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.