Ligament · Knee

Lateral patellofemoral ligament

The counterpart on the outer side of the knee: a thickening within the lateral retinaculum passing from the lateral femoral epicondyle to the outer border of the kneecap. It is less distinct than the medial band — a condensation of the sheet of tissue covering the joint rather than a separate cord — and it works alongside fibres of the iliotibial band, which also reach the patella from the side. Its pull is one of the tethers deciding where the kneecap sits when the knee is straight.