What is the patella?

The patella is the kneecap we are familiar with. I believe everyone knows how important it is. If you lose your patella, it means you will be paralyzed on one side of your body and have to spend your days in a wheelchair. In ancient times, there was a man named Sun Bin whose knees were dug out, which was equivalent to destroying his lower body. But he was very competitive and wrote the "Art of War" which has been passed down for a long time. This is a very inspiring story. Of course, in modern times, few people would have their patella removed unless the patella is damaged or amputation is required under special circumstances.

The patella is used to protect the knee joint. Once there is a problem with the patella, the knee joint will also be severely damaged. Moreover, although the human body seems strong, it cannot withstand external impacts. If a car accident occurs and a joint is fractured, it may leave sequelae.

The patella is located in front of the knee joint and in front of the lower end of the femur. It is the largest sesamoid bone in the human body. It is embedded in the quadriceps tendon and is a triangular flat bone. The base faces upward, the tip faces downward, the front is rough, and the back is a smooth articular surface. It articulates with the patellar surface of the femur and participates in the formation of the knee joint. Can be felt on the body surface. It has the function of protecting the knee joint, preventing the quadriceps tendon from rubbing against the femoral condyle cartilage surface, transmitting the power of the quadriceps muscle, and participating in the formation of the knee extensor mechanism; it has the function of maintaining the stability of the knee joint in the semi-squat position, preventing excessive adduction, abduction and flexion and extension of the knee joint, and acting as a chain to increase the rotation ability of the knee joint.

Chondromalacia patellae, also known as chondromalacia patellae and chondritis patellae, is a common disease of the knee joint. It is more common in young and middle-aged people, especially among athletes and sports enthusiasts. The incidence rate in women is higher than that in men.

Patellar fracture is a common injury, with local swelling and pain of the patella, inability to straighten the knee joint independently, often with subcutaneous bruises and knee skin abrasions as the main manifestations. Patellar fractures usually occur between the ages of 20 and 50.

People who like to play basketball or football will feel pain in their knees if they exercise excessively. Sometimes, if you are not careful, you may fall or get kicked, which may cause fractures and leave sequelae, and you may never be able to play basketball or football again. Therefore, male friends who love sports should do warm-up exercises before playing basketball or other sports.