| knee jerk | The reflex tested by tapping just below the bent knee on the patellar tendon to cause the quadriceps muscle to contract and bring the lower leg forward. It has given rise to the saying: a knee-jerk reaction. Also known medically as the patellar reflex. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| knee-jerk reflex | A sudden contraction of the anterior muscles of the thigh, caused by a smart tap on the patellar tendon while the leg hangs loosely at a right angle with the thigh. Synonym: knee jerk, knee phenomenon, knee reflex, knee-jerk reflex, patellar tendon reflex, quadriceps reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| knee joint | A compound condylar synovial joint consisting of the joint between the condyles of the femur and the condyles of the tibia, articular menisci (semilunar cartilages) being interposed, and the articulation between femur and patella. Synonym: articulatio genus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| knee phenomenon | A sudden contraction of the anterior muscles of the thigh, caused by a smart tap on the patellar tendon while the leg hangs loosely at a right angle with the thigh. Synonym: knee jerk, knee phenomenon, knee reflex, knee-jerk reflex, patellar tendon reflex, quadriceps reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| knee prosthesis | Replacement for a knee joint. (12 Dec 1998) |
| knee reflex | A sudden contraction of the anterior muscles of the thigh, caused by a smart tap on the patellar tendon while the leg hangs loosely at a right angle with the thigh. Synonym: knee jerk, knee phenomenon, knee reflex, knee-jerk reflex, patellar tendon reflex, quadriceps reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| knee sprain | <orthopaedics> Any injury to one of six different ligaments which stabilise the knee joint. Those ligaments include: medial and lateral collaterals, medial and lateral meniscus and the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. Knee sprains are characterised by knee pain, swelling and tenderness with range of motion. Severe sprains may result in a knee joint effusion (blood inside the joint). Completely torn ligaments may require surgical repair to reestablish knee joint stability. (17 Dec 1997) |
| knock-knee | <medicine> A condition in which the knees are bent in so as to touch each other in walking; inknee. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| lateral ligament of knee | <anatomy> The cordlike ligament that passes from the lateral epicondyle of the femur to the head of the fibula. Synonym: ligamentum collaterale fibulare, lateral ligament of knee, Winslow's ligament. (05 Mar 2000) |
| locked knee | A condition in which the knee lacks full extension and flexion because of internal derangement, usually the result of a torn medial meniscus. (05 Mar 2000) |