The femoral head articulates with the hip via the acetabulum; giving rise to the hip joint (femoroacetabular joint). The ligament of the head of the femur is attached to the fovea (shallow depression on the superomedial part of the head of the femur) and to the center of the acetabulum.
The femur is the only bone in the thigh and the longest bone in the body.
It acts as the site of origin and attachment of many muscles and ligaments, and can be divided into three parts; proximal, shaft and distal.
In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the femur – its attachments, bony landmarks, and clinical correlations.
Proximal
The proximal aspect of the femur articulates with the acetabulum of the pelvis to form the hip joint.
It consists of a head and neck, and two bony processes – the greater and lesser trochanters. There are also two bony ridges connecting the two trochanters; the intertrochanteric line anteriorly and the trochanteric crest posteriorly.
- Head – articulates with the acetabulum of the pelvis to form the hip joint. It has a smooth surface, covered with articular cartilage (except for a small depression – the fovea – where ligamentum teres attaches).
- Neck – connects the head of the femur with the shaft. It is cylindrical, projecting in a superior and medial direction. It is set at an angle of approximately 135 degrees to the shaft. This angle of projection allows for an increased range of movement at the hip joint.
- Greater trochanter – the most lateral palpable projection of bone that originates from the anterior aspect, just lateral to the neck.
- It is the site of attachment for many of the muscles in the gluteal region, such as gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and piriformis. The vastus lateralis originates from this site.
- An avulsion fracture of the greater trochanter can occur as a result of forceful contraction of the gluteus medius.
- Lesser trochanter – smaller than the greater trochanter. It projects from the posteromedial side of the femur, just inferior to the neck-shaft junction.
- It is the site of attachment for iliopsoas (forceful contraction of which can cause an avulsion fracture of the lesser trochanter).
- Intertrochanteric line – a ridge of bone that runs in an inferomedial direction on the anterior surface of the femur, spanning between the two trochanters. After it passes the lesser trochanter on the posterior surface, it is known as the pectineal line.
- It is the site of attachment for the iliofemoral ligament (the strongest ligament of the hip joint).
- It also serves as the anterior attachment of the hip joint capsule.
- Intertrochanteric crest – like the intertrochanteric line, this is a ridge of bone that connects the two trochanters. It is located on the posterior surface of the femur. There is a rounded tubercle on its superior half called the quadrate tubercle; where quadratus femoris attaches.
By TeachMeSeries Ltd (2023)
