Body region
Knee
See how the kneecap, tendons, ligaments and menisci work together to move, load and stabilize the knee.
Showing 82 pages
Anatomy
13Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
See where the ACL sits inside the knee, how it limits forward shin movement and rotation, and why a pop or swelling cannot diagnose an ACL tear alone.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-002Hamstring Tendons at the Knee
Learn where the hamstring tendons cross the back and sides of the knee, what they attach to, and how they help bend and stabilize the joint.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-012Hamstrings
Learn what the hamstrings do, their connection to the knee and hip, and exercises that build hamstring strength.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-003Iliotibial Band at the Knee
See how the iliotibial band runs down the outer thigh to the knee, helps stabilize the hip and knee, and relates to outer-knee pain.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-004Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)
Learn where the LCL runs along the outside of the knee, how it resists outward bowing, and how it relates to the posterolateral corner.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-005Lateral Meniscus
Learn how the lateral meniscus distributes load on the outer knee, why it is more mobile than the medial meniscus, and how tears can occur.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-006Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)
Learn where the MCL runs along the inner knee, how it resists inward collapse, and how its deep fibres connect with the medial meniscus.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-007Medial Meniscus
Learn how the medial meniscus distributes load on the inner knee, why it is less mobile than the lateral meniscus, and what affects healing potential.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-008Patella (Kneecap)
See where the patella sits, how it improves quadriceps leverage, how it tracks during knee movement, and why pain around it does not identify one diagnosis.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-009Patellar Tendon
Learn where the patellar tendon runs, how it helps straighten the knee, and why pain below the kneecap can occur with jumping and repeated loading.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-010Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)
See where the PCL sits, how it limits backward movement of the shinbone, and why dashboard impacts or a fall onto a bent knee can injure it.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-013Quadriceps
Learn what the quadriceps do, how they load the knee and which InjuryAtlas exercises build them.
Read guide →IA-KNE-ANA-011Quadriceps Tendon
Learn how the quadriceps tendon connects the thigh muscles to the kneecap and helps control knee straightening, landing, stairs and squats.
Read guide →Exercises
17Barbell Back Squat
Learn barbell back squat setup, form, muscles worked, benefits, common mistakes and practical progressions.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-010Barbell Reverse Lunge
How to perform the barbell reverse lunge with correct form — a single-leg compound exercise for building quad, glute and hamstring strength and balance.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-012Bulgarian Split Squat
Learn Bulgarian split squat setup, form cues, muscles worked, benefits and practical progressions.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-004Calf Raise
Learn the calf raise — a simple lower-leg strengthening exercise that supports walking, running and knee health, with progressions and safety notes.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-013Front Squat
Learn front squat setup, muscles worked, benefits, common mistakes and progression for stronger quads and legs.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-008Heel Slide
Learn the supine heel slide for gentle, controlled knee bending and straightening.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-015Leg Extension
Learn seated leg-extension setup, muscles worked, benefits, common mistakes and practical progression.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-01645-Degree Leg Press
Learn 45-degree leg-press setup, muscles worked, depth, common mistakes and practical progression.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-003Low Step-Up
Learn how to use a low step to rebuild knee and hip strength with adjustable height, support and repetition range.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-017Lying Leg Curl
Learn prone lying leg-curl setup, hamstrings worked, benefits, mistakes and practical progression.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-014Overhead Squat
Learn overhead squat form, mobility demands, muscles worked and practical progressions.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-005Single-Leg Balance
Learn the single-leg balance exercise to improve knee and ankle stability, with progressions from stable surfaces to eyes-closed balance.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-001Sit-to-Stand
Learn how to use chair height, control and gradual progression to make the sit-to-stand a practical knee-strengthening exercise.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-009Standing Hamstring Curl
Learn a supported standing hamstring curl for controlled knee-flexion strengthening.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-006Step-Down
Learn the step-down exercise — controlled lowering from a step to build single-leg strength and knee control, with progressions and safety notes.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-007Terminal Knee Extension
Learn the terminal knee extension — a simple quadriceps exercise that improves the last part of knee straightening, with progressions and safety notes.
Read guide →IA-KNE-EXE-002Wall-Sit Isometric
Learn how to adjust wall-sit depth, hold time and effort for controlled knee loading without forcing a painful position.
Read guide →Glossary
1Injuries
19ACL Tear
Understand ACL tear symptoms, common injury mechanisms, diagnosis, rehabilitation and when reconstruction may be considered.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-019Hamstring Strain
Learn the typical signs of a hamstring strain, how it differs from tendon pain, and how to return to running and sprinting gradually.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-010Hamstring Tendinopathy
Learn how hamstring tendinopathy causes pain at the back of the thigh or behind the knee, why running and sitting flare it up, and how progressive strengthening helps.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-014Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Learn what iliotibial band syndrome feels like — outer knee pain in runners and cyclists — and why load changes, strengthening and a gradual return beat rest alone.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-011Knee Bursitis
Learn about knee bursitis — prepatellar, infrapatellar, pes anserine and Baker's cyst — including what it feels like, when it can be serious and how it is treated.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-015Knee Dislocation
Learn why a knee (tibiofemoral) dislocation is an emergency — popliteal artery and nerve injury risk — and what to do if you suspect one.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-009Knee Osteoarthritis
Learn what knee osteoarthritis is, why scan changes do not match pain, and why education and exercise — not rest — are the core treatment.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-002LCL and Posterolateral Corner Injury
Learn why an outer-knee ligament injury may involve more than the LCL, including the posterolateral corner and nearby common fibular nerve.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-003MCL Sprain and Tear
Understand MCL sprains and tears, including inner-knee tenderness, common mechanisms, grading and why most isolated injuries begin without surgery.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-004Meniscus Tear
Understand traumatic and degenerative meniscus tears, joint-line pain, catching, true locking and why an MRI finding does not always explain pain.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-012Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Learn about Osgood-Schlatter disease — the common cause of knee pain below the kneecap in growing adolescents — including symptoms, treatment and when to see a clinician.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-008Patellar Dislocation and Instability
Learn what happens when the kneecap slips out of place, why some people have repeat episodes, and how rehabilitation and selected surgery are approached.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-016Patellar Fracture
Learn about patellar fractures — how the kneecap breaks, the signs that need urgent care, and how displaced fractures are treated with surgery.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-005Patellar Tendinopathy
Learn how patellar tendinopathy causes load-related pain below the kneecap and why progressive tendon loading matters more than complete rest.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-007Patellofemoral Pain
Learn what patellofemoral pain feels like, why it develops with stairs, squats and running, and how exercise-based care helps most people.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-006PCL Injury
Learn how PCL injuries happen, why symptoms may be subtle, how they are assessed and when combined ligament damage needs prompt care.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-017Pes Anserine Pain
Pes anserine pain causes tenderness below the inner knee joint. Learn how it differs from MCL and meniscus pain, what commonly helps, and when to get assessed.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-018Quadriceps Strain
Learn what a quadriceps strain feels like, how it differs from tendon pain above the kneecap, and how to return to running and sport progressively.
Read guide →IA-KNE-INJ-013Quadriceps Tendinopathy
Learn what quadriceps tendinopathy feels like, why deep knee bending brings it on, and why progressive tendon loading — not complete rest — is the core of treatment.
Read guide →Prevention
3General Knee Health
Everyday habits, strengthening principles and load management that support long-term knee health for people of all ages and activity levels.
Read guide →IA-KNE-PRE-002Knee Health for Older Adults
Practical knee health guidance for older adults — why strengthening beats rest, how to load knees comfortably, and what imaging changes really mean.
Read guide →IA-KNE-PRE-003Knee Injury Prevention for Runners
A runner's guide to preventing knee problems — patellofemoral pain, IT band syndrome and tendinopathy — through gradual training load and hip and quadriceps strength.
Read guide →Recovery timelines
5ACL Recovery Timeline
A realistic ACL recovery timeline for non-surgical and surgical paths, covering milestones, return-to-sport timing, and what affects healing speed.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REC-002MCL Recovery Timeline
A realistic MCL sprain recovery timeline by grade, covering pain, strength, return to sport, and the factors that affect healing speed.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REC-003Meniscus Recovery Timeline
A realistic meniscus tear recovery timeline for non-surgical, partial-removal and repair paths, with milestones and the factors that affect healing.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REC-004Patellar Tendinopathy Recovery Timeline
A realistic recovery timeline for patellar tendinopathy, covering pain changes, progressive loading, return to sport, and why tendon healing takes months.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REC-005PCL Recovery Timeline
A realistic PCL injury recovery timeline for isolated sprains and reconstruction, covering running, return to sport, and what affects healing speed.
Read guide →Rehabilitation
7ACL Rehabilitation Guide
Follow a practical, milestone-based ACL rehabilitation guide covering swelling, motion, strength, running, jumping and return-to-sport testing.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REH-001General Knee Loading Principles
Learn how to adjust knee range, load and exercise volume, judge your symptom response, and know when knee pain needs an assessment.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REH-007Knee Replacement Rehabilitation Guide
A phase-by-phase knee replacement rehabilitation guide — from the first days of ankle pumps and extension to walking, stairs and strength. Includes precautions and when to see someone.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REH-003MCL Rehabilitation Guide
Follow a practical MCL rehabilitation guide covering early protection, motion, strength, running, cutting and safe return-to-sport milestones.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REH-004Meniscus Rehabilitation Guide
Follow a practical meniscus rehabilitation guide for non-operative care, meniscus repair or partial meniscectomy, with exercises and progression milestones.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REH-005Patellar Tendinopathy Rehabilitation Guide
Follow a practical patellar tendinopathy rehabilitation guide progressing from pain-tolerable isometrics to strength, jumping, running and sport.
Read guide →IA-KNE-REH-006PCL Rehabilitation Guide
Learn how PCL rehabilitation works for isolated injuries, why quadriceps strength comes first, and what return to running and sport looks like.
Read guide →Stretches
5Calf Stretch
Learn the standing calf stretch for the gastrocnemius and soleus, with straight- and bent-knee versions, hold times and safety notes.
Read guide →IA-KNE-STR-003Hamstring Stretch
Learn a comfortable seated hamstring stretch, with hold times, easier alternatives and when to stop — especially if you feel nerve-type symptoms.
Read guide →IA-KNE-STR-004IT Band Stretch
Learn a standing IT band stretch for the outside of the thigh, plus tissue-release options, hold times and why strengthening matters more than stretching alone.
Read guide →IA-KNE-STR-001Knee Heel Slide
Learn a gentle heel-slide movement for practising knee bending without forcing a painful range.
Read guide →IA-KNE-STR-005Quadriceps Stretch
Learn a safe standing quadriceps stretch, with support options, hold times and when to avoid it — including after knee surgery.
Read guide →Symptoms
12Pain Behind the Knee
Pain behind the knee can come from the PCL, hamstring tendons, meniscus or a fluid-filled Baker's cyst. Learn the patterns and when it needs prompt care.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-002Pain at the Front of the Knee
Pain around, below or above the kneecap is one of the most common knee complaints. Learn the usual patterns, when it's minor, and when to get assessed.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-003Pain on the Inner Knee
Inner knee pain can come from the MCL, the medial meniscus or nearby tendons. Learn the usual patterns, when it's minor, and when it needs assessment.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-004Knee Giving Way (Instability)
A knee that gives way or buckles can come from ligament injury, kneecap instability, meniscus problems or muscle weakness. Learn the causes and when to get assessed.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-005Knee Locking or Catching
Clicking, catching and true locking of the knee mean different things. Learn the difference, the common causes, and when a locked knee needs prompt care.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-009Knee Pain at Night
Knee pain that wakes you or hurts at rest is common with arthritis, bursitis and tendinopathy. Learn the patterns, sleeping positions that help, and when to get assessed.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-012Knee Pain in Teenage Athletes
Knee pain during growth spurts is common in young athletes — Osgood-Schlatter, patellofemoral pain and tendon irritation. Learn the patterns and when to get assessed.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-010Knee Pain When Kneeling
Knee pain when kneeling is most often prepatellar bursitis, arthritis or patellar tendon irritation. Learn the patterns, kneeling pads, and when to get assessed.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-006Knee Stiffness
Knee stiffness after sitting or in the morning is common. Learn what causes it, how to improve motion safely, and when stiffness needs assessment.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-007Knee Swelling
Knee swelling after injury or with activity can mean different things. Learn the common causes, how to tell mild from serious, and when to seek prompt care.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-011Knee Weakness
Knee weakness can mean muscle weakness, giving way or a joint that doesn't feel stable. Learn the patterns, when it's a ligament problem, and what to do.
Read guide →IA-KNE-SYM-008Pain on the Outer Knee
Outer knee pain can come from the LCL, the lateral meniscus or the iliotibial band. Learn the usual patterns, when it's minor, and when it needs assessment.
Read guide →