Injuries about the knee and tibial/fibular shafts

Injuries to the knee and tibial/fibular shafts are extremely common, with knee injuries alone accounting for over 1.3 million emergency department visits yearly in the United States. Many of these injuries will present with straightforward radiographic findings, but others will have a subtle or complex appearance. This article reviews injuries of the knee and proximal tibial/fibular shaft with emphasis on normal anatomic features that, when disrupted, indicate the presence of subtle but important bone or soft tissue trauma. Although the emphasis is on plain radiography, magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomographic (CT) findings are discussed where appropriate.