Ads
related to: what does patella mean
Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
The patella is found in many tetrapods, such as mice, cats, birds and dogs, but not in whales, or most reptiles. In humans, the patella is the largest sesamoid bone (i.e., embedded within a tendon or a muscle) in the body. Babies are born with a patella of soft cartilage which begins to ossify into bone at about four years of age.
The patellar reflex, also called the knee reflex or knee-jerk, is a stretch reflex which tests the L2, L3, and L4 segments of the spinal cord. Many animals, most significantly humans, have been seen to have the patellar reflex, including dogs, cats, horses, and other mammalian species.
The patella is the largest sesamoid bone in the body. Sesamoids act like pulleys , providing a smooth surface for tendons to slide over, increasing the tendon's ability to transmit muscular forces .
The most well-known sesamoid bone is the patella, more commonly known as the "knee cap". It is located cranially to the joint and sits in the trochlear groove of the femur. It guides the patellar ligament of the quadriceps over the knee joint to its point of insertion on the tibia.
The knee is a modified hinge joint, a type of synovial joint, which is composed of three functional compartments: the patellofemoral articulation, consisting of the patella, or "kneecap", and the patellar groove on the front of the femur through which it slides; and the medial and lateral tibiofemoral articulations linking the femur, or thigh bone, with the tibia, the main bone of the lower ...
The patella rests in the trochlear, which is found in the distal part of the femur. The patella can dislocate from the groove because of trauma or an unnatural twisting of the knee. [5] When dislocated, the soft tissue layer that the patella rests in is damaged; the patella is forced out of its groove and back into place.
A patellar dislocation is a knee injury in which the patella (kneecap) slips out of its normal position. [5] Often the knee is partly bent, painful and swollen. [1] [2] The patella is also often felt and seen out of place. [1] Complications may include a patella fracture or arthritis. [3]
The patellar tendon is a strong, flat ligament, which originates on the apex of the patella distally and adjoining margins of the patella and the rough depression on its posterior surface; below, it inserts on the tuberosity of the tibia; its superficial fibers are continuous over the front of the patella with those of the tendon of the quadriceps femoris.