Patella

Looks like

The kneecap: a flat, triangular bone set inside the tendon at the front of the knee.

What it does

Acts as a pulley that increases the thigh muscle's force on the leg and shields the knee.

Keeping it well

Pain around it on stairs and squats usually eases with strengthening. After a dislocation, or a knee that cannot be straightened, get it checked.

Its parts

• Right patella
• Left patella

Related conditions

• ACL & meniscus injury
• Acromegaly
• Baker's (popliteal) cyst
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Fractures
• Fragility fracture
• Frailty & falls in older age
• Growing pains
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis)
• Lymphoedema
• Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease)
• Osteomalacia & rickets
• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
• Osteoporosis
• Paget's disease of bone
• Pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate disease)
• Reactive arthritis
• Restless legs syndrome
• Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain)
• Sarcoma
• Septic arthritis
• Varicose veins
• Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies
• Vitamin D deficiency