Kneecap Patella

Your kneecap, also known as your patella, is a small triangle-shaped bone that is located in front of your knee.

It is capable of moving inside a groove at the end of the femur (thighbone). This groove is known as the trochlear groove.The patella is lined with articular cartilage, which allows it to glide smoothly within the trochlear groove.

If your kneecap, or patella, becomes unbalanced, it will not move properly inside the trochlear groove. This can result in the following knee injuries, which will cause you to experience knee pain:

• Patellofemoral maltracking - the kneecap moves too close to the outside of trochlear groove
• Patellar subluxation -part of the kneecap moves outside of the trochlear groove
• Patellar dislocation - the whole kneecap is outside the trochlear groove.

 Reasons for the patella becoming unbalanced include:

Quadriceps muscles that are too tight or too loose -

The quadriceps muscles, which are located at the front of your thigh, are connected to the kneecap by a tendon known as the quadriceps tendon. The quadriceps pull on the patella, keeping it stabilized.

If your quadriceps are too light or too loose, your kneecap will not remain balanced inside the trochlear groove.

Damage to connective tissue -

Two bands of connective tissue, known as the lateral retinaculum and the medial retinaculum, connect the patella to the furthest end of the femur.

The lateral retinaculum and the medial retinaculum help to stabilize the kneecap.

The medial retinaculum has a thick section known as the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), which is very important for keeping the kneecap stable.

A patellar dislocation is often caused by a torn MPFL.