Gastrocnemio-semimembranosus bursa and its relation to the knee joint. III. Pressure measurements in joint and bursa.

Pressure measurements in the knee joint and gastrocnemio-semimembranosus bursa were performed on patients and autopsy cases. A normally occurring closure mechanism between the joint and the bursa was demonstrated and analysed. Two patients were also found to have a partial valvular mechanism in the form of a hindrance to spontaneous passage of fluid from the bursa to the joint but no hindrance in the other direction.