Femur Bone in Human Body

Femur Bone in Human Body

The Femur - Traits and Bony Features

Skeletal

Organs  

The Femur

Function  

It keeps mobility of our body and facilitates movement of legs.

The femur is the largest and strongest bone in our body. It is a long bone making up about one fourth of our height and is the attachment point for some powerful muscles. At the hip (proximally), the femur's ball-shaped head joins (articulates) with the pelvis in the acetabulum and is secured by a strong ligament (ligamentum teres) attached to the fovea captitis on the head. The head attaches out (laterally) to a short neck that then attaches to the vertical shaft of the femur. Because of the way the head of the femur attaches to the side of the shaft, the neck is the weakest point and most prone to a break. Where the neck meets the shaft of the femur, we will find the greater trochanter on the outside (lateral) and the medial trochanter on the inside (medial) which are connected by the intertrochanteric line in front (anteriorly) and the intertrochanteric crest in the back (posteriorly). The trochanters are attachment points for the powerful muscles of the thigh and butt. More muscle attachment sites are found on the back side of the femur (posteriorly) – the gluteal tuberosity which leads down the shaft to the ridge-like linea aspera. At the bottom (distally), the femur spreads into a wide base with the medial and lateral condyles joining (articulating) with the tibia. Between the condyles is the intercondylar notch. Outside of them are the lateral and medial epicondyles, which are attachment sites for more muscles.  The patellar surface in the front (anteriorly) joins (articulates) with the kneecap (patella).

Posted on 31.01.2013