Several important soft-tissue structures give the knee joint protection and stability:

• The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) (star) connects the thighbone and the shinbone and provides front-to-back stability.
• Inside the knee joint, situated between the thighbone and the shinbone, are two C-shaped cartilage structures called the medial (inner) and lateral (outer) meniscus (green and black arrows, respectively). The function of these cartilage cushions is to spread out the weight-bearing stresses across the knee joint. Injuries to these cartilages are among the most common causes of knee problems for both golfers and nongolfers alike. The medial meniscus is especially prone to tearing injuries.