Let us examine the structure of the femur.

Femur

• body (corpus femoris/diaphysis)

• proximal epiphysis (epiphysis proximalis)

  

• distal epiphysis (epiphysis distalis)

  

  There are also two surfaces:

• anterior surface (facies anterior)

  

• posterior surface (facies posterior)

  

  On the proximal epiphysis is the head of the femur (caput femoris), which is involved in the formation of the hip joint.

  

  In the central part of the head there is the fovea for the ligament of the femoral head (fovea capitis ossis femoris).

  

  The head is followed distally by the neck of the femur (collum femoris).

  

  On the border of the head and the neck there is an eminence — the greater trochanter (trochanter major);

  

  and the lesser trochanter (trochanter minor).

  

  On the medial surface of the greater trochanter is the trochanteric fossa (fossa trochanterica).

  

  There are also formations between the trochanters. In the front is the intertrochanteric line (linea intertrochanterica); in the back is the intertrochanteric crest (crista intertrochanterica).

  

  The body of the femur has a linea aspera (linea aspera) in which the medial lip (labium mediale) and the lateral lip (labium laterale) can be distinguished.

  

  

  

  On the lateral lip is the gluteal tuberosity (tuberositas glutea), to which the gluteus maximus muscle is attached.

  

  The medial lip continues as a pectineal line (linea pectinea) to which the pectineus is attached.

  

  In the area of the distal epiphysis, both lips are the boundaries of the popliteal surface (facies poplitea).

  

  In the area of the distal epiphysis, the bone is somewhat thickened to form two condyles: the medial condyle (con- dylus medialis)

  

  and the lateral condyle (condylus lateralis).

  

  At the back, there is an intercondylar fossa (fossa intercondylaris) between them.

  

  In front, the two condyles merge to form the patellar surface (facies patellaris).

  

  There is also a small intercondylar line (linea intercondylaris) between the condyles.

  

  Above the condyles are the corresponding epicondyli:

• lateral epicondyle (epicondylus lateralis)

  

• medial epicondyle (epicondylus medialis)

  

  The respective supracondylar lines depart from the epicondyli upward:

• lateral supracondylar line (linea supracondylaris lateralis)

  

• medial supracondylar line (linea supracondylaris medialis)

Dictionary

Femur (thigh bone)

femur

femur

body of femur

corpus femoris/diaphysis

proximal epiphysis

epiphysis proximalis

distal epiphysis

epiphysis distalis

anterior facet

facies anterior

posterior facet

facies posterior

head of femur

caput femoris

fovea for ligament of head of femur

fovea capitis ossis femoris

neck of femur

collum femoris

greater trochanter

trochanter major

lesser trochanter

trochanter minor

trochanteric fossa

fossa trochanterica

intertrochanteric line

linea intertrochanterica

intertrochanteric crest

crista intertrochanterica

linea aspera

linea aspera

medial lip

labium mediale

lateral lip

labium laterale

gluteal tuberosity

tuberositas glutea

pectineal line

linea pectinea

popliteal surface

facies poplitea

medial condyle

condylus medialis

lateral condyle

condylus lateralis

intercondylar foosa

fossa intercondylaris

patellar surface

facies patellaris

intercondylar line

linea intercondylaris

lateral epicondyle

epicondylus lateralis

medial epicondyle

epicondylus medialis

lateral supracondylar line

linea supracondylaris lateralis

medial supracondylar line

linea supracondylaris medialis