The space between the femur, or thighbone, and the tibia, or shinbone, on X-ray views represents the overall thickness of the joint cartilage surfaces of each opposing bone as they articulate, or come into contact with one another.

After a long walk, you notice that your knees are aching and very sore. Knee pain after a long period of walking can occur if you walked farther than you have in the past, walked on a hard surface, did not take long and healthy strides or if you wore shoes that provided little to no support.

A number of different injuries and types of pain can affect the knee of a runner. This is due to the shock absorbed by the knee joint when running--the knee, along with the back, are two locations on the body where injuries are common due to the stress placed on them by running.

Knee pain is a common complaint in active children who tend to suffer repeated trauma to the legs. But trauma is not the only reason for children to complain of knee pain--it can also be a symptom of a more serious condition.

Often referred to as your thigh muscles, your quadriceps consist of four muscles in the front of your leg that help you lift your knee. If you aren’t able to use these muscles for some time, you can experience a condition known as muscle atrophy, in which your muscles shrink and become less toned.

Every time you walk, run or stand, you're putting stress on your knee joints, and soccer players put more stress on their knees than non-athletes. The supporting elements of the knee joint are composed almost exclusively of soft tissues, such as tendons, ligaments, cartilage and small muscles that are prone to injury.

Calf and knee pain can be debilitating and force you to take time out from your exercise or sports training. Such pain may prevent you from completing your everyday activities such as getting out of bed and walking around your house.

Your knees sustain an impact from each running stride you take. You can help keep your knees healthy by building your mileage over time and knowing when to rest. If your knees start to hurt, it's important to know what's causing your pain so you can properly treat it.

The knee is a hinge joint, bearing most of the stress during dancing, walking and running. It's the largest joint in the body that can sometimes stand up to four times the weight of an individual, depending upon the motion performed.

Numerous conditions can cause swollen calves and knee pain. According to the Family Doctor website, knee and lower extremity pain and swelling are common health complaints. In some cases, the cause of swollen calves and knee pain is the same. In other cases, separate conditions can cause swollen calves and knee pain.

When you think about food allergies, shoulder and knee joint pain is not a symptom that typically comes to mind. For people who suffer from arthritis or other inflammatory joint conditions, food allergies can cause a flare-up of pain caused by inflammation.

The swimming pool is generally a safe environment when it comes to knee injuries, because most strokes cause minimal impact on the bones and joints. However, certain strokes can cause knee injuries if performed repetitively or improperly.