Tendons of the Knee

The Common Vein Copyright 2011

Ashley Davidoff MD

Introduction

Tendons are elastic extensions of the muscle which connect the muscle to bone. The tendons of the muscles of the knee stabilize the knee. The two important tendons of the knee are the quadriceps and patellar tendons. The quadriceps tendon attaches to the patella.  The quadriceps muscle serves to extend and straighten the knee and helps maintain the patella in position.  The patellar tendon connects the patella, a sesamoid bone to the tibia.  Since it connects one bone to another bone it is really a ligament rather than a tendon but both terminologies are utilized.

References