US Medical Term · anatomy
Patella
Rótula
Also: Patela (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Patella |
| Spanish (Español) | Rótula |
| Chinese (中文) | 髕骨 |
| Korean (한국어) | 슬개골 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Xương bánh chè |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Patela (tuhod na buto) |
| Portuguese (Português) | Patela |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | กระดูกสะบ้า |
| Japanese (日本語) | 膝蓋骨 |
What it means
The patella, commonly called the kneecap, is the small, triangular bone that sits at the front of your knee. It acts as a shield to protect the knee joint and helps the muscles around your knee work more efficiently. The patella slides within a groove at the bottom of the femur when you bend and straighten your leg. It is surrounded and held in place by tendons and ligaments. Injuries such as a dislocated or fractured kneecap cause significant pain and swelling. Conditions like patellofemoral syndrome cause pain behind or around the kneecap, often felt when climbing stairs or squatting.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I hit my kneecap hard and now my patella really hurts.
Me golpeé la rótula fuerte y ahora me duele mucho.
My patella keeps slipping out of place when I walk.
La rótula se me sale de su lugar cuando camino.
The doctor said there may be a crack in my patella from the fall.
El médico dijo que puede haber una fisura en la rótula por la caída.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026