Joint line palpation

The medial and lateral joint lines are formed by the femoral condyles and the tibial plateaus. The meniscal cartilage is located in the space between the bones and these are covered by the synovial membrane and the collateral ligaments. To palpate the joint lines, the superior and inferior poles of the patella are identified and marked. The joint lines are located at the level of the inferior pole of the patella in the midplane.