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Home > Specialties > Knee > About the Knee

How does the knee work?

The knee joint functions like a hinge at the junction of two bones, the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin.) The ends of the bones are covered with a thick cushion of hard, white cartilage. You are given only one coating of this cartilage in your lifetime. If it is damaged or worn away, the underlying bones rub together, producing the pain and inflammation typical of arthritis.

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