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URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/8716.htm
Normal knee anatomy
Overview
The ligaments which attach the upper leg bone (femur) to the large lower leg bone (tibia) create a hinge joint called the knee. The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments are 2 short, strong ligaments which criss-cross each other in the middle of the joint.
Review Date 6/27/2026
Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Peter and Sophie Pappas Endowed Chair, V-nee Yeh Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.