Femur

Def :
The femur or thigh bone is the largest bone and the stronger bone of the body .
Side Determination :
1) The end bears a rounded head and lower end widely expanded to form two
large condyles .
2) The head is directed medially .
3) The cylindrical shaft is convex .
 Anatomical position :
- Head is directly medially upward slightly forwards.
- The shaft and directly obliquely downwards and medially .
External Oeature :
1) Upper end
2) Shaft
3) Lower End
4) Articular Shaft
Upper end

Head Neck Greater Lesser

Torchanter Torchanter
It is formed by Connect head Greater It is conical eminence
more than half a with the shaft trochanter has directed medially and
sphere & directly and about 3 cm upper border backward form the
medially long . with an apex & junction of the
upwards & three surface posterior inferior part
slightly anterior medial of the neck with the
downward & lateral shaft .
Articular with the It makes an angle It has
acetabulum to with the shaft . i) Intertrochanteric
dorm the hip The neck shaft line .
joint angle about 125 ii) Intertrochanteric
in adult. crest.
A rounded pit is It has two border
situated just and two shaft .
below and behind
the center of the
head . The pit is
called fovea.
The angle of
femoral torsion is
formed between
transverse axes
of the upper &
lower end of
 femur is about
15.

2) Shaft

Upper one Third Middle one Third Lower one Third

Two lips of the line It has three border The two lips of the linea
diverge to enclosed an 1) Medial aspera diverge as
additional posterior 2) Lateral supracondylar lines to
surface thus is has four 3) Posterior enclose on additional
border . popliteal surface .
1) Medial
2) Lateral
3) Spiral Line
4) Lateral lip of
gluteal
tuberosity.
Four surface Three surface Thus it has four border .
1) Anterior 1) Anterior 1) Medial
2) Posterior 2) Medial 2) Lateral
3) Medial 3) Lateral 3) Medial
4) Lateral epicondy.
4) Lateral epicondy.
The posterior border is
an the form of a broad
ridge called the linea
aspera.
4) Lower End
Widely expanded to form two large condyles one medial & one lateral .
A) Anteriorly :
The two condyles are voited and are in line with the front of shaft .
B) Posteriorly :
They are separate by a deep gap formed the intercondylar fossa.
5) Articular Surface
The two condyles are partly covered by a large articular surface which is divisible into
patellar and fibial part these are two articular surface .
Patellar Surface Fibial surface
 Covex the anterior surface Surface cover the inferior and
both condyles and extends posterior surface of the two condyles
more on the lateral condyles and merge anteriorly with pattelar
than on medial . surface .

Lateral condyle :
Lateral condyle is flat laterally and is more than in line with the shaft .
Therefore takes greater part in the transmission of the body to the tibia .

Laterally aspect present the :

1) Lateral epicondyle.
2) Popiteal groove
3) Muscular impression

6) Medial Condyle :
-This condyle is medially .the most prominent point on it is called the medial
epicondyle.
7) Intercondylar fossa :
This notch separates the lower end posterior parts of the two condyle.
It is limited anteriorly by patellar articular surface & posteriorly by the
intercondylear line which separates the notch from the popliteal surface .

Attachment :
1) Fovea on the head of femur attachment to the ligament of the head of femur
or round ligament .
2) Greater trochanter
a) The Piriformis is inserted into apex .
b) Gluteus minimus is inserted into the rough lateral part of anterior
surface .
c) Obturator internus inserted into upper rough impression .
d) Obtretor extension inserted into trochanteric fossa.
e) Gluteus Medius is inserted into the ridge on the lateral surface .
3) Lesser Trochanter :
a) Psoas major is inserted on the apex .
 b) Iliacus Inserted on the anterior surface of the base on the trochanter .
c) Smooth posterior surface of the lesser trochanter is covered by bursa
that lies deep to upper horizontal fibres of adductor magnus.
4) Intertrochanter Line :
a) Attachment to the capsular ligament of the hip joint .
b) To the upper band of the iliofemoral ligament in its upper part.
c) To the lower bank of the iliofemoral ligament in its lower part.
d) Origin to the highest fibre of the vastus pectoralis from the upper end.
5) Quadrate tubercle receives the insertion of the quadratus femoris.
6) Attachment on the shaft :
a) Medial & poplitieal surface – Origin of the medial head of the
gastrocnemius to the popliteal surface.
b) Vastus intermedius
c) Articularis genu
d) Lower 5 cm of anterior surface are related to suprapatellar bursa.
e) Vastus lateralis
f) Vastus medialis
g) Gluteus maximus.
h) Adductor longus
i) Adductor brevis
j) Adductor magnus.
k) Pectineus
l) The short head of the bicep femoris
m) The medial & lateral intramuscular septa.
n) Plantaris 7cm long head so the gastrocnemius
o) Medial head of the gastrocnemius.
7) Attachment on the lateral condyle.
 a) Fibular ligament collatral of knee joint.
b) Polities arise from the deep anterior part of the popliteal groove.
c) Lateral head of the gastrocnemis
8) Attachment of the medial condyle
a) Tibial collateral ligament of knee joint
b) Adductor tubercle.
Nutrient artery to the femur :
This is derived from the 2nd perforating artery.
Clinical Anatomy :
Tripping over minor obstruction or other accidents causing forced medial rotation
of thigh & leg during the fall results.
1) Spiral fracture of the shaft of femur in person below the age of 16 years.
2) Bucket handle tear of the medial meniscus between the age of 14 & 40 years.
3) Pott’s fracture of leg between the age 40 and 60 years.
4) Fracture of the back or the femur over the age of 60 years.