Introduction
The muscles around the knee are characterized by groups of muscles which assist in the varied motion of the knee. They are some of the strongest muscles of the body since they assist in ambulation as well as explosive activities seen in sports.
They consists of extensors of the knee (quadriceps), flexors of the knee (hamstring muscles), and the internal and external rotators of the knee
Structural features include some muscles which cross two joints and those that cross just the knee joint
The function of the group is to not only help in propelling the body forward with ambulation, but to also support the bony and cartilagenous structures of the knee by dampening the large forces which go through the knee.
Common diseases include tears of the muscles, tumors, muscular dystrophy, and spasticity.
Commonly used diagnostic procedures include clinical history and exam as well as MRI to evaluate for muscle pathology.
Muscle tears can be treated with physical therapy but rarely can require surgery. Tumors will need to be resected with the occasional use of adjuvant theray. There is a wide variety of muscle disorders that are treated with multiple regimens depending on the problem
The muscles surrounding the knee include the quadriceps and hamstrings. The quadriceps consist of 4 muscles on the anterior aspect of the thigh and are responsible for knee extension. The hamstrings consist of 3 muscles on the posterior aspect of the thigh and are responsible for knee flexion.