Front view of the knee

This drawing shows the inner parts of the knee as seen from the front. A small bone (called the patella or the "knee cap") that sits in front of the knee has been removed so that you can see what is under that bone. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is in the middle in white. It connects the thigh bone (called the "femur") to the shin bone (called the "tibia"). The meniscus is a cushion of rubbery material (cartilage) between the thigh bone and the shin bone.