Schematic drawing of the knee joint as an example of

a synovial joint, characterized by a joint cavity enclosed by a joint

capsule (red) containing synovial fluid. Blue = articular cartilage.

Joints are places of articulation allowing movements

between bones. Synovial joints are characterized by a

joint cavity enclosed by a joint capsule containing

synovial fluid, which is produced by the articular

capsule. The kind of movements depends not only on

form and structure of the articulating bones but also

on ligaments incorporated into the articular capsule.

In some synovial joints, fibrocartilagenous articular

discs develop, when the articulating surfaces of the

bones are incongruous.

1 Femur

2 Tibia

3 Fibula

4 Cruciate ligaments

5 Collateral ligaments

6 Meniscus

MRI scan of the knee joint (coronal plane) (from Heuck

et al., MRT-Atlas, 2009).