Role of the Popliteal Fossa in Knee Problems: Theoretical Considerations and Practical Implications

The popliteal fossa is located at the back of the knee joint and it is an area where blood vessels and nerves and also lymph nodes pass. Popliteal fossa injuries includes nearly 2% of acute knee injuries. The treatment of chronic injuries are always more difficult than acute ones, because its diagnosis would depend on careful interpretation of specific clinical exams. In this review, we describe our current understanding of role of popliteal fossa in knee problems, and summarize the anatomy and functional role of popliteal fossa and popliteomeniscal fibers, and mechanism of popliteomeniscal fibers injuries, and discuss strategies for diagnosis of popliteomeniscal fibers lesions, differential diagnosis, and treatment of the posterolateral corner injuries.