Which four ligaments stabilize the stifle?

Which four ligaments stabilize the stifle?

• A. caudal cruciate, cranial cruciate, medial collateral, lateral collateral
• B. cranial cruciate, medial collateral, lateral collateral, patellar ligament
• C. caudal cruciate, cranial cruciate, medial collateral, patellar ligament
• D. cranial cruciate, medial collateral, lateral collateral, meniscal ligaments

Answer: (A)

Stifle stability comes from two functional groups: two cruciate ligaments inside the joint and two collateral ligaments at the sides. The cranial cruciate ligament and the caudal cruciate ligament cross inside the joint and work like restraints on how far the tibia can move forward or backward relative to the femur; together they control anterior-posterior translation and stabilize the knee during weight-bearing. The medial collateral ligament on the inner side prevents excessive inward movement of the knee, while the lateral collateral ligament on the outer side resists outward movement. These four together provide the main stabilizing restraint for the stifle. Structures like the patellar ligament contribute to the extensor mechanism—helping the leg straighten by linking the patella to the tibia—not to the primary stabilizing motions of the joint itself. The meniscal ligaments assist in stabilizing the menisci within the joint but are not the primary four stabilizers described here.

Stifle stability comes from two functional groups: two cruciate ligaments inside the joint and two collateral ligaments at the sides. The cranial cruciate ligament and the caudal cruciate ligament cross inside the joint and work like restraints on how far the tibia can move forward or backward relative to the femur; together they control anterior-posterior translation and stabilize the knee during weight-bearing. The medial collateral ligament on the inner side prevents excessive inward movement of the knee, while the lateral collateral ligament on the outer side resists outward movement. These four together provide the main stabilizing restraint for the stifle.

Structures like the patellar ligament contribute to the extensor mechanism—helping the leg straighten by linking the patella to the tibia—not to the primary stabilizing motions of the joint itself. The meniscal ligaments assist in stabilizing the menisci within the joint but are not the primary four stabilizers described here.