Sesamoid bone Sesamoid bone In anatomy, a sesamoid bone () is a bone embedded within a tendon or a muscle. It is derived from the Latin word ("sesame seed"), due to the small size of most sesamoids. Often, these bones form in response to strain, or can be present as a normal variant. The kneecap is the largest sesamoid bone in the body. Sesamoids act like pulleys, providing a smooth surface for tendons to slide over, increasing the tendon's ability to transmit muscular forces. The sesamoid is a small nodular bone most often present embedded in tendons in the region of the
Stapedius muscle nerve VII. Stapedius muscle The stapedius is the smallest skeletal muscle in the human body. At just over one millimeter in length, its purpose is to stabilize the smallest bone in the body, the stapes. The stapedius emerges from a pinpoint foramen in the apex of the pyramidal eminence (a hollow, cone-shaped prominence in the posterior wall of the tympanic cavity), and inserts into the neck of the stapes. The stapedius is supplied by the nerve to stapedius, a branch of the facial nerve. The stapedius dampens the vibrations of the stapes by pulling on the neck of that bone.