The bony bump on the tibia where it attaches is called the tibial tubercle.
Patellar tendon and the quadriceps muscle
The patellar tendon is really a tendon of the quadriceps muscle, where the patella bone snugs into the tendon itself, splitting it anatomically into quads tendon above and patellar tendon below.
It is the lower part of a chain of structures known as the extensor mechanism, which reach from the hip to the shin and functions to straighten the knee and hold the person upright.
A bone situated inside a tendon like this is called a 'sesamoid' bone.
Patellar tendon problems
The patellar tendon is really important as it is the tether for the extensor mechanism, and it is therefore subject to a lot of stress.
Problems that can arise here include:
- Patellar malalignment - where the tendon attachment does not align well with the groove in which the patella is contained.
- Osgood-Schlatter's disorder - also called Juvenile traction osteochondritis - where repeated jumping activities in a young person put stress on the attachment of the tendon to the tibia at the tibial tuberosity.
- Patellar tendinitis - where overuse in an older person leads to painful mucoid degeneration inside the tendon itself.
- Patellar tendon rupture - where extreme sports can cause the patellar tendon to break.
Forum discussions
- please give advice an graft selection, im freaking out.
Patients discuss options - including patellar tendon - for reconstructing their torn cruciate ligament.
- Please not the other knee as well!!!!
A wide-ranging discussion about patellar tendinitis and other problems in and around the patellar tendon.