andlt;strongandgt;Prosthetic knee joint.andlt;/strongandgt; Frontal X-ray of a patientwith a prosthetic knee (white). The artificialjoint consists of two halves, one half attached tothe femur (thigh bone) above the knee and theother half attached to the tibia (shin bone) belowthe knee. This is a hinge joint, which also allowsa degree of rotation, imitating the mobility ofthe natural joint. Prosthetic knee joints are usedto replace joints that have become stiff andpainful as a result of arthritis or injury. Kneereplacements can dramatically improve knee jointmobility, and can offer years of independence. Theartificial components can, however, loosen withtime.
