What is a fabella of the knee?
What is a fabella of the knee?
The fabella is a sesamoid bone in the posterolateral capsule of the human knee joint. The presence of the fabella in humans varies widely and is reported in the literature to range from 20% to 87% [1-7]. The fabella is located in the posterior aspect of the knee where lines of tensile stress intersect.
How can you tell if you have fabella?
Examination. Physical examination may reveal the presence of swelling/tenderness in the posterolateral aspect of the knee. Palpation of the fabella may suggest the presence of a firm nodule in the left posterolateral popliteal fossa, medial to the tendon of the biceps femoris, and approximately 1 cm in diameter.
How is fabella treated?
Fabella pain syndrome can be treated with physical therapy, injection of local anesthetics or steroids near the site, radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) or fabellectomy [6]. Physical therapy entails the patient be placed in a prone position with the legs supported at an angle of 30 degrees flexion [15].
What is the purpose of a fabella?
The fabella’s main function is thought to be stabilization of the medial femoral condyle and the fabella complex, which is made up of the plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles and the arcuate, fabellofibular, fabellopopliteal, and oblique popliteal ligaments [1-3].
What does the fabella bone look like?
The fabella is a small sesamoid bone found in some mammals embedded in the tendon of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle behind the lateral condyle of the femur. It is an accessory bone, an anatomical variation present in 39% of humans….
| Fabella | |
|---|---|
| Latin | Os fabella |
| TA2 | 1395 |
| FMA | 281591 |
| Anatomical terminology |
Does everyone have a fabella?
Only some people actually have one, and even less people have two. It is estimated that a third of the population have a fabella bone, and only half of those people have a fabella behind each knee.
Should a fabella be removed?
According to literature posterolateral knee pain caused by the presence of a fabella can be eradicated by both non-operative and surgical excision. There however were cases in which this pain persisted postoperatively.
What is a calcified fabella?
The fabella is a small sesamoid bone found in some mammals embedded in the tendon of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle behind the lateral condyle of the femur. It is an accessory bone, an anatomical variation present in 39% of humans. Rarely, there are two or three of these bones (fabella bi- or tripartita).
What is a fabella in the popliteal fossa?
The fabella sign is displacement of the fabella that is seen in cases of synovial effusion and popliteal fossa masses. The fabella is an accessory ossicle located inside the gastrocnemius lateral head tendon on the posterior side of the knee, in about 25% of people.
What percentage of people have a fabella?
The fabella is a small sesamoid bone found in some mammals embedded in the tendon of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle behind the lateral condyle of the femur. It is an accessory bone, an anatomical variation present in 39% of humans.
Why is there a bone sticking out of the side of my knee?
Bone spurs (osteophytes) in the knee are small bony outgrowths caused by excessive friction between the surfaces of the joint. This is most commonly caused by osteoarthritis which is characterized by a gradual loss in joint cartilage overtime.
What does a bone spur feel like in the knee?
Symptoms of Bone Spurs Then, you might feel any of the following: Pain in the affected joint. Pain or stiffness when you try to bend or move the affected joint. Weakness, numbness, or tingling in your arms or legs if the bone spur presses on nerves in your spine.
Can a MRI show the location of a Fabella?
Ultrasound imaging may provide valuable information regarding the posterolateral structures of the knee including the presence of a fabella [18,19]. Lateral radiographs of the knee as well as MRI Imaging are able to reveal the position of a fabella in relation to the posterolateral femoral condyle.
Where is the fabella located in the knee?
Background The fabella is a sesamoid bone in the posterolateral capsule of the human knee joint. The presence of the fabella in humans varies widely and is reported in the literature to range from 20% to 87% [1-7]. The fabella is located in the posterior aspect of the knee where lines of tensile stress intersect.
Is it possible to resect the fabella syndrome?
Resecting the fabella can be indicated and is a minor surgical procedure with minimal risk. Despite good results in the literature posterolateral knee pain can persist and prevent return to a high level of sports. Level of evidence: IV, case reports and analysis of literature.
Where does the fabella articulate with the femoral condyle?
The fabella can also be fibrocartilaginous in nature and is occasionally found in the medial head of the gastrocnemius. The fabella articulates with its respective (medial or lateral) femoral condyle. Fabella is Latin for “little bean”.