Patella Tendonitis Prevention

The kneecap's formal name is the Patella. The Patella is attached to the femur and tibia bones and is located to allow sliding over the head of each bone when the knee is bent. The purpose of the Kneecap (Patella) is to protect the two bones (femur and tibia) as they come together to create a movable joint - the knee. The Patella acts as a shield to protect the joint. The Kneecap also helps to keep the bones aligned and tracking together as we stand, walk, or run. The Patella mostly tracks in a vertical motion but it also has some lateral motion which can be altered by improper foot mechanics. Most improper foot mechanics is a result of over-pronation or an excessive inward rolling of our foot as we step. This misalignment of the foot arch results in misalignment of other joints such as the ankle, knees, hip and back. This is why misaligned feet can cause irritation and pain in the other joints