Knee A to Z

Pain in the back of the knee is common, and may have a number of causes, because the back of the knee is structurally complex.

A pain score is a scoring system used by doctors to 'measure' and record the pain a patient is experiencing at any one time.

Parapatellar means 'along the sides of the kneecap'.

The parapatellar recesses are the anatomical 'gutters' alongside the patella or kneeap.

A parrot-beak tear of the meniscus is an oblique tear of the knee meniscus where the torn end rounds off to resemble a parrot's beak.

A partial knee arthroplasty is a surgical procedure where part of the knee joint is removed and replaced with an implant. It is the same thing as a partial knee replacement.

A partial knee replacement (or unicompartmental knee replacement) replaces one region (compartment) of the knee with a metal and plastic implant.

A partial meniscal replacement substitutes an irreparably-damage portion of meniscus with a substitute, such as tissue-engineered collagen.

A partial meniscectomy is the removal of a part of a knee meniscus. Page updated July 2024 by Dr Sheila Strover (Clinical Editor)

Passive extension is the activity of assessing the amount of knee extension possible without muscle contraction, and a passive extension stretch is an exercise to keep the tissues mobile while the extensor muscles are being rehabilitated.