Normal knee anatomy

Reviewed by Greg Jaroszynski MD, FRCSC | Last updated May 2026

Important Notice: Dr. Greg Jaroszynski does not perform partial knee replacements at this time. This information is provided for educational purposes only.

Understanding the compartments of the knee helps explain why only some patients are candidates for partial knee replacement.

The three knee compartments

Other important structures

Present in the knee are also ligaments and special cartilage cushions (called menisci) needed for proper functioning of the knee.

Normal knee anatomy
Normal knee anatomy.