Bones/Patella Unit LS12/12

[Animation (2-3 seconds): Brief "wowee" animation of Patella (blue bones effect), twisting, turning, zooming into view. (Note: LO is to graphically capture/focus student's attention and excite them vs. to each anatomy.)]

The patella is one of the few bones in the body that is completely contained within a tendon. This type of bone is called a sesamoid bone. The patella protects and stabilizes the anterior surface of the knee joint.

The position of the patella relative to the other bones of the knee differs radically depending on whether the knee is in the flexed or extended position. Watch how the patella glides over the femoral condyles during flexion and extension in the following video segment.

[Graphic: View related video button, begins video that currently opens Begin screen.]

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

- Locate the features and markings of the Patella on its anterior, medial, lateral, and posterior aspects.

- Describe the functions of the features and markings of the Patella.

Patella1.0

Black screen

Animation plays as soon as screen is opened. Once it has ended, final image from animation remains.

Bullet icon (small dot?) to go in front of learning objectives (instead of number)

Light blue terms link to glossary

Bones/Patella Unit LS12/12

Triangular in shape, the posterior surface of the patella articulates with the femur, and the anterior surface and borders allow for attachment of the quadriceps femoris tendon (proximally), and the patellar ligament (distally). The two features of the patella are its apex and its base.

Examine these muscles and these features as you explore the patella. Also, note how the patella glides along the lateral & medial condyles of the femur and protects the anterior portion of the knee joint.

[Graphic: Explore the anatomy button]

Patella2.0

Use IAA from Knee Joint Overview8.0, with a few revisions and enhancements:

Crop and zoom to just knee joint. Begin IAA with quadricepts femoris tendon and patellar ligament (semi-transparent if possible). Then these disappear to show just bones view.

structure names in text match structure colors in IAAs (color choice above is just a sample; Dave to determine actual structure colors)

structure names in text match structure colors in IAAs