Patella
Also called: kneecap
What it means
The patella, or kneecap, is a small, flat bone that sits in front of the knee joint and protects it while helping your leg muscles move smoothly.
Keeping the muscles around your knee strong and avoiding falls helps protect the patella from injury as bones and joints age.
The patella is a sesamoid bone, meaning it forms inside a tendon rather than connecting directly to two other bones like most bones do. It sits within the tendon of the quadriceps muscle, protecting the front of the knee joint and acting like a pulley that helps your thigh muscles straighten your leg efficiently.
Because the patella is small and surrounded by soft tissue, it's not a routine spot for bone density testing. But it still relies on the same bone remodeling process as the rest of your skeleton, so general bone health habits like weight-bearing exercise, enough calcium, and vitamin D support it too.
Patella fractures usually happen from a direct hit to the knee, a fall, or sudden forceful contraction of the thigh muscle. They're less common as fragility fractures compared to the hip, spine, or wrist, but falls remain a leading cause, which is why fall prevention matters for people with lower bone density.
Strong knee muscles and fewer falls help protect the kneecap as your bones and joints age.
Where this leads
WordCurious what kind of bone the kneecap actually is? Sesamoid bone explains how it sits inside a tendon to reduce friction and aid movement.
Related words
A sesamoid bone is a small bone embedded inside a tendon, usually near a joint, that helps reduce friction and…
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The tibia is the shin bone — the larger, weight-bearing bone running from your knee to your ankle.
Fall risk is how likely you are to fall, and it matters because falling—not just weak bones—is the most common cause…
Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease where cartilage breaks down over time, causing pain and stiffness in joints…
Weight-bearing exercise is any activity, like walking or dancing, where your body supports its own weight against…
Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
