Ossification centers of the knee

Last revised by Joshua Yap on 23 Aug 2022

Ossification centers of the knee vary from reference to reference, but an approximation is listed below. 

Distal femur
  • femoral shaft: 8 weeks in utero
  • distal femur: 3-6 months
Patella
  • between 1-3 ossification centers appear at 3-5 years
Proximal tibia
  • tibial shaft: 7 weeks in utero
  • tibial plateau: 9 months in utero (i.e. usually present at birth)
  • tibial tuberosity: 10-12 years
Proximal fibula
  • fibula shaft: 8 weeks in utero
  • fibular head: 2-4 years

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