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Cutting-edge knee treatment for adults and children

Orthopaedic Specialists brings together a team of leading knee experts from across Europe, who are all global leaders in their respective fields and have been instrumental in developing many of the ground-breaking treatments they use. Working individually or as a team, patients can be reassured that they will get the most appropriate treatment.

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Patient Stories

The London Knee Osteotomy Centre

The London Knee Osteotomy Centre brings together leading surgeons from across the UK and Europe who offer unrivalled treatment for patients suffering from arthritis or sports injuries. With a focus on joint preservation, the team offer the latest surgical techniques to provide an alternative to knee replacement for patients of all ages.

Knee anatomy

The knee joint is made up of two parts. The part of the knee between the end of the thigh bone (femur) and the top of the shin bone (tibia) is called the tibiofemoral joint. The patellofemoral joint is between the end of the thigh bone (femur) and the kneecap (patella).

The knee joint is surrounded by synovial fluid which keeps it lubricated. The bones are covered by smooth joint surface (articular) cartilage that allows them to glide smoothly together without friction. If the joint surface is damaged through wear and tear or a knee injury, arthritis can develop.

Cruciate ligaments

These are found inside your knee joint. They cross each other to form an “X” with the anterior cruciate ligament in front and the posterior cruciate ligament at the back. The cruciate ligaments control the back and forth motion of your knee.

Collateral ligaments

These are found on the sides of your knee. The medial or “inside” collateral ligament (MCL) connects the femur to the tibia. The lateral or “outside” collateral ligament (LCL) connects the femur to the smaller bone in the lower leg (fibula). The collateral ligaments control the sideways motion of your knee and brace it against unusual movement.

There are two meniscal cartilages in the knee that act as shock absorbers – one on the inner and one on the outer side. They sit between the curved lower part of the thigh bone and the flat upper part of the shin bone. Their job is to evenly distribute the load from the thigh bone to shin bone when walking and to provide knee stability. If the menisci are damaged, this can cause the cartilage beneath to become damaged and develop arthritis.

CONDITIONS

Knee conditions

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Arthritis / osteoarthritis

Arthritis, or degenerative osteoarthritis, of the knee is caused by long term wear and tear to the cartilage that naturally cushions the knee joint. This causes the bones in the joint to rub together and cause permanent damage.

Knee cartilage injuries

Within the knee joint, the cartilage – the joint surface covering the ends of the bones – acts as a shock absorber that cushions the bones, allowing them to move smoothly. It can become damaged through arthritis or by an...

Knee dislocation

A dislocated knee is a serious injury in which the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia) become disconnected.

Knee ligament injuries

Knee ligaments connect the bones and cartilage, as well as holding together and supporting the knee joint. They are made of tough, rubbery connective tissue. Four major ligaments support and stabilise the knee and these can be injured during sports...

Knee problems in children

As children become more involved in extreme sports such as skiing and snowboarding and are generally more active at a younger age, Professor Adrian Wilson and his team are seeing increasing cases of ligament damage, particularly to the anterior cruciate...

Knee sports injuries and trauma

Sports injuries can affect the ligaments and tendons around the knee. Ligaments are the thick bands of rubbery tissue connecting bones at the knee joint. Tendons connect the knee muscles to the bone.

Knee tendon injuries

Tendons connect muscles to bones. They are made of strong, flexible bands of tissue that help your bones and joints to move when your muscles contract.

Kneecap (patella) dislocation

A dislocated kneecap occurs when the patella (kneecap) that sits over the front of the knee comes out of its groove at the end of the thigh bone (femur), coming to rest on the outside of the knee joint.

Kneecap (patella) fracture

The kneecap is a small bone at the front of the knee at the point where the thigh bone and shin bone meet. It protects the knee joint and connects muscles from the shin bone to the thigh.

Kneecap (patella) instability

The kneecap (patella) is in the V-shaped groove at the bottom of the thigh bone. The knee joint is stabilised and supported by ligaments, which are thick bands of rubbery tissue connecting bones at the knee joint. The main ligament...

Meniscal tears in the knee

There are two meniscal cartilages in the knee that act as shock-absorbers – one on the inner and one on the outer side. They are made up of a different type of cartilage to joint surface cartilage and sit between...

Knee treatments

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Children’s knee surgery

Professor Adrian Wilson has unique expertise in children’s knee problems, having introduced new procedures for treating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.
He specialises in treating knee problems in children including sports injuries affecting the knee and kneecap (patella) stabilisation.

Knee cartilage surgery

Although minor damage to the cartilage may heal by itself, more severe injuries usually need surgical treatment. This is normally carried out using keyhole surgery as a day case under a light general anaesthetic. In more complex cases, other procedures...

Knee distraction

Joint distraction uses the body’s natural healing processes to repair damaged cartilage in the knee. During minimally invasive joint preservation surgery, the bones are gently pulled apart to create space and are fixed using pins and an external frame.