Femur Flashcards
What is the head of the femur?
Where the bone forms the hip joint with the innominate bone.
What are the condyles of the femur?
The medial and lateral condyles are the points of articulation with the tibia.
What is the patellar surface of the femur?
The groove where the bone adjoins with the patella.
Where is the medial epicondyle of the femur? What muscle inserts there?
The medial epicondyle is a bony protrusion on the medial side of the bone’s distal end. The tendinous insertion of the adductor magnus attaches here. Behind the epicondyle is a rough impression which gives origin to the medial head of the gastrocnemius.
Where is the lateral condyle of the femur? What attaches at the epicondyle?
On the lateral side of the bone’s distal end. The fibular collateral ligament of the knee joint attaches here.
Where is the greater trochanter? Which muscles attach there? Which muscle originates there?
The greater trochanter is a large, irregular, quadrilateral eminence located slightly lateral and posterior near the head of the femur. The obdurator internus, piriformis, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius and gemelli attach there, while the vastus lateralis originates there.
Where is the lesser trochanter? Which muscles attach there?
The lesser trochanter is a conical eminence that projects from the lower and back part of the base of the femur neck. The psoas major and iliacus attach here.
What is the linea aspera of the femur?
The linea aspera is a prominent longitudinal ridge or crest, on the middle third of the bone, presenting a medial and a lateral lip, and a narrow rough, intermediate line. It is an important insertion point for the adductors and the lateral and medial intermuscular septa that divides the thigh into three compartments. The tension generated by muscle attached to the bones is responsible for the formation of the ridges.
