No parent wants to see their sports-loving child sitting on the
sidelines, but knee injuries put thousands of young athletes on
the bench every year. It's not unusual for kids to fracture,
sprain, strain, or dislocate the knee joint while playing on the
field or just goofing around with friends. Most kids just need a
few days or weeks of rest to recover from a knee injury. Severe
cases can require surgery and a longer recovery before kids are
walking again and back on the playing field. How the Knee Works
To understand how injuries happen, it helps to know how the knee
works. The knee is the largest joint in the body; it provides
stability and allows the legs to bend, swivel, and straighten.
The knee joint is at the ends of the femur (thighbone) and the
tibia (shinbone); it is protected by the patella (kneecap). The
ends of the femur and tibia and the back of the patella are
covered in articular cartilage, which acts as a cushion to keep
the femur, patella, and tibia from grinding against each other.
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