Knee Anatomy

As multiple causes of knee pain exist, the first step is clarify what is causing your knee pain. The location of the pain can give insight into the cause. The knee is divided into zones as follows:

If the pain is Anterior (front of knee, or red oval), the following issues may be responsible:

• Patellofemoral syndrome (runners knee)
• Quadriceps or patellar tendonitis
• Patellar instability
• Pre-patellar bursitis
• Arthritis

If the pain is Lateral  (outside of knee, or black oval), the following issues may be responsible:

• Joint Line Pain: meniscal tear, articular cartilage injury, arthritis
• Lateral Collateral Ligament
• IT Band Syndrome
• Proximal tib-fib joint

If the pain is Medial (inside of knee, or blue oval), the following issues may be responsible:

• Joint Line Pain: meniscal tear, articular cartilage injury, arthritis
• Medial Collateral Ligament
• Pes Anserine Bursitis

If the pain is Posterior (back of knee, or green oval), the following issues may be responsible:

• Muscles/Tendon’s
• Bakers Cyst
• Arthritis