Patella
Patella
- Latin synonym: Os patellare
- Synonym: Knee bone; Patellar bone
Definition
The patella, the body's largest sesamoid bone, resides within the quadriceps tendon and is positioned in front of the lower end of the femur.
It takes the form of a triangular shape, with its apex pointing downward. The upper border, known as the base of the patella, serves as an attachment site for the rectus femoris muscle in the front and the vastus intermedius muscle in the rear. In addition, the patella has two other borders: the medial and lateral borders, which provide attachment points for the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles, respectively.
References
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Text written by Muhammad A. Javaid, MD, PhD © 2023 IMAIOS.
Standring, S. and Gray, H. (2016). ‘Chapter 80: Pelvic girdle, gluteal region and thigh’ in Gray’s anatomy The anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. (41st ed.) New York: Elsevier, pp. 1327-1329.
