Anatomy Flashcards
What are the three articulations forming the knee joint?
2 femorotibial and 1 femoropatellar
Which muscle laterally rotates the femur to allow flexion of the knee from full extension?
Popliteus
Which of the knee bursae is the largest and is also continuous with the synovial cavity of the knee joint?
Suprapatellar bursa
What are the inferior borders of the popliteal fossa?
Medial and lateral head of gastrocnemius (and plantaris)
Which muscle crosses both the knee joint and ankle joints and flexes the leg at the knee?
Gastrocnemius
Which nerve passes in close proximity to the neck of the fibula, heading to the lateral compartment of the leg?
Common fibular nerve
Where do quadriceps muscles insert distally?
Tibial tuberosity
Which knee ligament prevents anterior displacement of the tibia on the femur?
Anterior cruciate ligament
What opening does the femoral artery pass through to get to the popliteal fossa and which muscle tendon forms this opening?
Adductor hiatus and adductor magnus
What does the term Genu Valgum (knock knee) refer to?
Angle between longitudinal axes of bones greater than 17 degrees (tibia abducted with respect to femur)
List the main components of the knee region.
- condyles of distal femur and proximal tibia
- head of the fibula
- patella
- popliteal fossa
- 2 femorotibial articulations
- 1 femoropatellar articulation
What is the longest and heaviest bone in the body?
Femur
What is the function of the femur?
Transmits body weight from hip bone to the tibia when a person is standing, and is an important attactment site for many muscles and ligaments.
Describe the proximal aspect of the femur.
- consists of a head, neck and 2 trochanters
Describe the head of the femur.
- found at proximal aspect
- articulates with acetabelum of pelvis to form hip joint
- smooth surfave covered with articular cartilage
- small depression not covered in articular cartilage = fovea where ligamentum teres attaches
Describe the neck of the femur.
- connects head of the femur with the shaft
- cylindical, projecting superiorly and medially
- angle of inclination = approx 126 degrees
- this angle allows for increased range of movement at hip joint
Why is the angle of inclination typically less in females?
Due to wider pelvis
Describe the greater trochanter of the femur.
- most lateral, palpable projection of the bone
- attachment site for gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and piriformis
- origin site of vastus lateralis
Describe the lesser trochanter of the femur.
- projects from posteromedial side of femur
- attachment site for iliopsoas
What is the angle of inclination in the femur?
The angle resulting from the intersection of a line down the long shaft of the femur and a line drawn through the neck of the femur. Approx 126 degrees.
Describe the intertrochanteric line of the femur.
- a ridge of bone that runs in an inferomedial direction on the anterior surface of the femur
- spans between greater and lesser trochanter
- after passing lesser trochanter on posterior surface it becomes the pectineal line
- attachment site for iliofemoral ligament
- anterior attachment of hip joint capsule
Describe the intertrochanteric crest of the femur.
- ridge of bone that connets the greater and lesser trochanters on posterior aspect of femur
- contains rounded tuberble on superior half called the quadrate tubercle
- quadratus femoris attaches to quadrate tubercle
Describe the shaft of the femur.
- descends in a slight medial direction to bring knees closer to body’s centre of gravity thus increasing stability
- posterior surface contains roughened ridges of bone called linea aspera
- linea aspera splits distally to form medial and lateral supracondylar lines - flat popliteal surface lies between these
- proximally, medial border of linea aspera becomes the pectineal line and lateral border becomes the gluteal tuberosity where gluteus maximus attaches
- distally, linea aspera widens and forms floor of popliteal fossa
- medial supracondylar line ends at the adductor tubercle, where adductor magnus attaches
Describe the medial and lateral condyles of the distal end of the femur.
- posterior and inferior surfaces articulate with tibia and menisci of the knee
- anterior surface articulates with patella
Describe the medial and lateral epicondlyes of the distal end of the femur.
- bony elevations on the non-articular area of the condyles
- medial epicondyle is larger
- medial and lateral collateral ligaments of the knee originate from respective epicondyles
Describe the intercondylar fossa of the distal end of the femur.
- a deep notch on the posterior surface of the femur between the 2 condyles
- contains factes for attachment of anterior cruciate ligament and posterior cruciate ligament
What type of bone is the patella and what is it attached to?
- largest sesamoid bone of the body
- superior aspect attached to the quadriceps tendon
- inferior aspect attacked to the patellar ligament
Describe the bony landmarks of the patella.
- apex situated inferiorly and connected to tibial tuberosity by the patellar ligament
- base forms the superior aspect and serves as attachment site for the quadriceps tendon
- posterior surfce of patella articulates with the femur and has medial and lateral facets
- medial facet articulates with medial condyle of the femur
- lateral facet articulates with the lateral condyle of the femur
What are the functions of the patella?
- leg extension
- protection
What is the second largest bone in the body?
The tibia
Describe the proximal end of the tibia.
- widened by medial and lateral condyles which aid in weight bearing
- condyles form a flat surface known as the tibial plateau
- tibial plateau articulates with femoral condyles to form key articulation of knee joint
- intercondylar eminence located between condyles and projects upwards as medial and lateral intercondylar tubercles
- intercondylar eminence is main attachment site for ligaments and menisci of the knee joint
- intercondylar tubercles articulate with intercondylar fossa of the femur
Describe the shaft of the tibia.
- prism shaped with 3 borders and 3 surfaces - anterior, posterior and lateral
- anterior border palpable as the shin, contains tibial tuberosity at proximal end, the attachment site for the patellar ligament
- posterior surface marked by a ridge of bone known as the soleal line (site of origin for soleus muscle)
- lateral border also known as interosseous border and gives attachment to interosseous membrane that binds the tibia and fibula together
Describe the distal end of the tibia.
- widens to assist with weight bearing
- medial malleolus is a bony projection continuing inferiorly on the medial aspect of the tibia and articulates with tarsal bones to form ankle joint
- fibular notch located laterally where the fibula is connected to tibia creating the distal tibiofibular joint
- tendon of tibialis posterior passes through a groove on posterior surface