THE POPLITEAL FOSSA AND THE KNEE JOIN 1. The popliteal fossa is a diamond-shaped region at the back of the knee joint its superior boundary is formed by the biceps femoris and the semitendinous and the semimembranous muscle its inferior boundary is formed by the gastrocnemius muscle and the plantaris muscle all of the above Excellent! Partly, the best answer is D. 2. The floor of the popliteal fossa is formed by the popliteal surface of the femur the oblique popliteal ligament of the knee joint the fascia covering the popliteus muscle all are correct Bravo! No, D is the answer. In addition to the above mentioned structures, the floor of the popliteal fossa is formed by the posterior surface of the upper end of the tibia. 3. The contents of the popliteal fossa are the popliteal artery lymph nodes the articular branch from the obturator nerve all of the above Fine! No, the correct answer is D. In addition to the above mentioned structures, there is the popliteal vein, the tibial and the common peroneal nerve, the termination of the short saphenous vein and fat. 4. The most superficial structure within the popliteal fossa is the tibial nerve popliteal vein popliteal artery Right! Wrong, A is correct. The popliteal artery lies close to the floor of the popliteal fossa. The popliteal vein is located between the posterior tibial nerve and the popliteal artery. 5. Within the popliteal fossa, the common peroneal nerve is closely related to the tendon of the semimembranous muscle the tendon of the semitendinous muscle the tendon of the biceps femoris muscle Correct. No, C is correct. 6. The popliteal artery divides within the popliteal fossa into the anterior and the posterior tibial arteries at the level of the popliteus muscle - its lower border the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle - its upper border the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle - its lower border Great! No, A is correct. 7. The popliteal artery is represented by a line from the junction of the middle and the lower thirds of the thigh 2.5 cm medial to thA midline of the back of the limb and runs down to the midline between the lateral femoral condyle and the tibial tuberosity lateral and the medial femoral condyles medial femoral condyle and the medial tibial condyle Of course! No, B is the answer. This line continues obliquely infero-medially until the level of the tibial tuberosity. 8. The artery which supplies the cruciate ligaments is the middle genicular artery the medial superior genicular artery the lateral inferior genicular artery Bravo! Sorry, A is the answer. It arises from the popliteal artery opposite the back of the knee joint, pierces the oblique popliteal ligament and supplies the cruciate ligaments and the synovial membrane of the knee joint. 9. Around the patella and the contiguous ends of the femur and the tibia, the following arterial anastomoses exist the superficial network the deep network both are correct Hooray! No, C is the answer. The superficial network is situated between the fascia and the skin around the patella and in the fat behind the lig. patellae. The deep network lies on the femur and the tibia. 10. The tibial nerve enters the popliteal fossa through the adductor canal together with the femoral artery between the hamstring muscles by piercing the popliteal fascia Very good. No, B is correct. 11. Within the popliteal fossa and at the lower border of the popliteus muscle the tibial nerve joins the posterior tibial artery and asses deep to the soleus muscle tendinous arch the upper border of the gastrocnemius muscle the tibialis posterior muscle Very good! No, the answer is A. 12. The common peroneal nerve is derived from the dorsal branches of the ventral rami of the L4, L5, S1 and S2 the ventral branches of the ventral rami of the L4, L5, S1 and S2 Very good! No, the correct answer A. 13. The common peroneal nerve descends from the popliteal fossa between the tendon of the biceps femoris muscle and the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle and winds around the lateral surface of the head of the fibula the neck of the fibula the shaft of the fibula Very good! Wrong, B is correct. 14. The common peroneal nerve on its way from the popliteal fossa to the anterior compartment of the muscles of the leg can be felt posterior to the head of the fibula posterior to the shaft of the fibula laterally to the neck of the fibula Great! At this site it can be rolled against the bone. No, A is correct. At this site it can be rolled against the bone. 15. Articular branches of the common peroneal nerve and supplying the knee joint follow the course of the superior and the inferior lateral genicular artery the anterior recurrent tibial artery both answers are correct Hooray! No, C is correct. 16. The knee joint is the largest joint of the human body. It is a uniaxial joint of the compound variety Correct. No, B is the answer. 17. The articular surfaces of the knee joint are formed by the articular surfaces of the medial and the lateral condyle of the femur, the articular surfaces of the medial and the lateral condyles of the tibia and the articular surface of the patella. Considering the articular surfaces of the medial and the lateral tibial condyles, which one is larger? the lateral the medial Magnificent! No, B is the answer. The articular surface of the lateral tibial condyle is circular in shape and smaller than that on the medial tibial condyle which is oval in shape. 18. Which of the two menisci present within the knee joint is attached to the anterior and the posterior intercondylar area? the lateral meniscus the medial meniscus Certainly! No, the answer is B. 19. At the front, the fibrous capsule of the knee joint contains the ligamentum patellae which is the continuation of the tendon of the quadriceps femoris tendon below the patella. This ligament is separated from the synovial membrane of the knee joint in its upper part by the infrapatellar pad of fat its lower part by the deep infrapatellar bursa both are correct Correct. No, the answer is C. 20. At the sides the fibrous capsule of the knee joint is strengthened by the fibular collateral ligament the tibial collateral ligament the iliotibial tract all of the above Hooray! Partly, D is the best answer. The iliotibial tract fuses with the fibrous capsule between the fibular collateral ligament and the ligamentum patellae. 21. The strongest ligaments of the knee joint are the cruciate ligaments. The anterior cruciate ligament passes backwards from the anterior intercondylar area of the tibia to the medial surface of the medial femoral condyle the lateral femoral condyle Marvelous! No, the answer is B. The posterior cruciate ligament passes from the posterior intercondylar area of the tibia to the lateral surface of the medial condyle of the femur. 22. The cruciate ligaments hold the femur to the tibia and prevent it from sliding forward - the posterior cruciate ligament sliding backwards - the anterior cruciate ligament both are correct Excellent! No, C is the best answer. 23. The ligament that 'locks' the knee joint, prevents the lateral femoral condyle from sliding backwards on the tibia and produces the medial rotation of the femur on the tibia is the posterior cruciate ligament the anterior cruciate ligament Of course! No, B is correct. 24. The 'locking' of the knee joint occurs during flexion of the knee joint extension of the knee joint Right! No, B is the correct answer. 25. Which of the following structures is responsible for 'unlocking' of the knee joint during flexion which begins with the lateral rotation of the femur on the tibia the popliteus muscle the posterior cruciate ligament Excellent! No, A is the answer. 26. The principal lateral rotator of the tibia on the femur is the biceps femoris muscle the gracilis muscle Bravo! No, A is the answer.