[Anatomy and biomechanics of the meniscus of the knee joint].

The menisci enlarge the weight-bearing surface to an extension twice of the pure contact surface between the femur condyles and the tibia plateau. Furthermore they widen the range of the articular resultant force. Consequently, the balancing muscular forces can be implemented more economically. The menisci are adapted to their functional stressing: circular tension is resisted by circularly arranged collagen fiber bundles. Split lines, however, show a more complex arrangement.