Inside the capsule, the joint is lined with a thin, soft tissue, called synovium. Tendons Tendons are tough cords of tissue that connect muscle to bone. In the knee, the quadriceps tendon connects the quadriceps muscle to the patella and provides power to extend the leg. The patellar tendon connects the patella to the tibia. Technically, it is a ligament, but it is commonly called a tendon.
Doctors use several methods to diagnose knee problems.
Medical history the patient tells the doctor details about symptoms and about any injury, condition, or general health problem that might be causing the pain. Diagnostic tests the doctor uses one or more tests to determine the nature of a knee problem. CAT scan images show soft tissues more clearly than normal x rays. Individual images can be combined by computer to give a three-dimensional view of the knee. This creates a series of cross-sectional images of a specific part of the knee.