The knee is the biggest joint in the human body, and it connects the femur (the thigh bone) and the tibia (the shin bone). The knee joint also connects with the fibula (the smaller bone in the shin, located behind the tibia) through the patella (the kneecap). In addition to these bones, the joint also contains tendons and ligaments. Tendons are thick bands of connective tissue that connect muscles to bones. Ligaments are also connective tissue, but they are located between two bone surfaces. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the femur with the tibia and is attached to the front of the tibia; this ligament prevents the tibia from sliding too far to the front in relation to the femur. The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) also connects the femur with the tibia and is attached to the back of the tibia; this ligament prevents the tibia from sliding too far to the back. The collateral ligaments prevent the bones from sliding to the sides. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is located on the inside of the knee (the medial part of the body) and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) is located on the outside of the knee (the lateral part of the body). The knee also has two pieces of cartilage, called the medial meniscus and the lateral meniscus, that are C-shaped and absorb shock between the bones when standing or walking.