Lateral compartment

Written by Dr Sheila Strover on March 14, 2025

The lateral compartment is that part of the knee where the femur articulates with the tibia  - but referring only to the outer or lateral side.

Illustration of the knee bones from the front, with a circle over the lateral compartment
Illustration of the bones from the front with a red circle showing the lateral compartment

The lateral side is easy to spot if you just look for the small fibula bone on the side - that is always the lateral side. The lateral 'compartment' comprises the articulation of the rounded condyle and the flattened tibia and the lateral meniscus on that side.

Compartment overload