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URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/8716.htm

Normal knee anatomy

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.