MSK - Femur Flashcards
Images reproduced, with permission, from teachmeanatomy.info
What other bones apart from the femur are present in the thigh?
None other, the femur is the only one!
What is the main function of the femur?
Transmit forces from the tibia to the hip joint
What end and what view of the femur is being shown here?
Proximal end
Anterior View
What end and view of the femur is being shown here?
Proximal End
Posterior View
What is the Bony Landmark highlighted in red?
What does it have on it’s medial surface and why?
The Head of the Femur
On it’s medial surface it has a depression for the attachment of the ligament of the head
What is the bony landmark highlighted in yellow?
At what angle does it project, and what does this allow?
The Neck of the femur
It projects medially and superiorly, allowing for an increased range of movement at the hip joint
What is the bony landmark highlighted in green?
What direction does it project in?
What muscles attach here?
The Greater Trochanter
Angled Superiorly and Posteriorly
Site of attachment for the abductor and lateral rotator muscles of the leg
What is the bony landmark highlighted in blue?
What direction does it project in?
What muscles attach here?
The Lesser Trochanter
Projects posteriomedially
The psoas major and iliacus muscles attach here
What Bony Landmark is indicated by the line?
What ligament attaches here?
After the ligament passes the lesser trochanter on the posterior surface, what is it known as?
Intertrochanteric Line
Iliofemoral ligament attaches here which is a very strong ligament of the hip joint
Known as the pectineal line
What bony landmark is indicated by the line?
What is located on its superior half and what attaches here?
Intertrochanteric crest
Rounded tubercle on its superior half called the quadrate tubercle
Site of attachment for the quadratus femoris
Within a year of a hip fracture, what fraction of people will die?
1/3rd
What fractures are more common in the elderly?
Intracapsular Fracture
What gender are more likely to suffer an intracapsular fracture?
Woman
What structure can an intracapsular fracture damage?
What could this lead to?
Medialfemoral circumflex artery
Avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
In which direction is the distal fraction pulled and in which direction does it rotate?
How would this manifest clinically?
Pulled Upwards
Rotated Laterally
Manifests as shorter leg with laterally pointing toes
What age group do exracapsular fractures occur?
How do they manifest clinically?
Could blood supply be compromised?
Young and middle ages people
Same as intracapsular fractures, shorter leg with laterally pointing toes
No, so avascular necrosis is not possible
In what direction does the shaft of the femur descend?
In a slightly medial direction
What is the advantage of the slanted descent of the femur shaft?
Brings the knees closer to the body’s center of gravity, increasing stability
On the posterior surface there are roughened ridges of bone known as what?
Linea Aspera
Proximally, the lateral border of the linea aspera becomes what?
The medial border become what, and what attaches here?
Lateral - Pectineal line
Medial - Gluteal tuberosity - Gluteus maximus attaches
Distally, the linea aspera widens and forms the floor of what bony landmark?
The medial and lateral borders form what other bony landmarks?
Forms the floor of the Popliteal fossa
Medial and lateral borders form the supracondylar ridges
(NOTE: The medial supracondyle line stops at the adductor tubercle, where the adductor magnus attaches)
How common are fractures of the femur?
Relatively uncommon
How do femur fractures occur?
Requires a lot of force such as in a car accident
Spiral fractures of the femur present with leg shortening. Why is this?
Because of fragments being pulled by attachments and overriding
Due to the method of injury typically being high energy, what may also be damaged?
Surrounding soft tissue
When looking at a femur fracture, what other structure should be ensured hasn’t been damaged?
Femoral Artery as it supplies the rest of the limb
What is the distal end of the fibula characterised by?
Presence of the medial and lateral condyles
Medial and lateral condyles articulate with what?
What join is formed?
Tibia and Patella, forming the knee joint
What bony landmark is highlighted in red?
What do they articulate with?
Medial and Lateral condyles
The posterior and inferior surfaces articulate with the tibia and misci of the knee, while the posterior surface articulates with the patella
What bony landmarks are highlighted in green?
What attaches here?
Medial and lateral epicondyles
Some muscles and the collateral ligaments of the knee joint
What bony landmark is indicated by the line?
The Adduct
What bony landmark can be found lying on the posterior surface between the two condyles?
What attaches here
Intercondylar Fossa
Contains two facets for attachment of internal knee ligaments
Name the two facets for attachment of internal knee ligaments in the intercondylar fossa and which wall they are found on
Facet for attachment of the posterior cruciate ligament
Facet for attachment of anterior cruciate ligament
