Lecture 12 - Femur & Hip Joint

Question 1

What is the hip joint?

Answer 1

• it is a true ball & socket synovial diarthordial joint
• also known as the acetabulofemoral joint
• articulates between the pelvic acetabulum and the head of the femur

Question 2

What are the movements of the hip joint?

Answer 2

• Flexion/extension
• Abduction/adduction
• Internal/external (medial/lateral) rotation

Question 3

What is the femur?

Answer 3

• the longest & heaviest bone in the body
• length is approx. 1/4 of a person’s height
• it is the typical long bone

Question 4

What is the head of the femur & fovea capitus?

Answer 4

• the rounded proximal end
• it articulates with the acetabulum of the hip bone to form the hip joint
• the fovea capitus is a Small depression on the head of the femur & is a Site of attachment for the ligament of the head of the femur

Question 5

What is the neck of the femur?

Answer 5

• located below the head of the femur
• it is a common area to fracture

Question 6

What is the greater/lesser trochanter of the femur?

Answer 6

• the greater trochanter is the large, upward, bony projection located above the base of the neck. Multiple muscles attach to the greater trochanter which gives these muscles additional leverage
• the less trochanter is a small, bony projection that lies on the medial spect of the femur. The posits major muscle attaches here

Question 7

What is Intertrochanteric line?

Answer 7

• runs between the lesser/greater trochanters on the anterior side
• serves as an attachment point for the iliofemoral ligament

Question 8

What is the medial epicondyle & condyle of the femur?

Answer 8

• the medial condyle is located on the inside part of the knee, & provides attachment to the capsular ligament of the knee joint as well as act as a shock absorber
• the medial epicondyle is located below and anterior to the adductor tubercle, & provides attachment for the tibial (medial) collateral ligament (MCL)

Question 9

What is the lateral epicondyle & condyle of the femur?

Answer 9

• the lateral epicondyle is located on the outside part of the knee & gives attachment to the fibular (lateral) collateral ligament (LCL)
• the lateral condyle helps provide lateral patellar stability

Question 10

What is the adductor tubercle ?

Answer 10

• a small bump located at the superior margin of the medial epicondyle
• serves as the point of attachment for the adductor magnus muscle

Question 11

What is the patellar surface?

Answer 11

• a wide groove & a smooth surface of the condyles
• improves the effective extension capacity of the quadriceps muscle

Question 12

What is the Intertrochanteric crest?

Answer 12

• bony ridge located on the posterior side of the head of the femur
• point of attachment for the joint capsule of the hip

Question 13

What is the Linea aspera?

Answer 13

• located on the posterior side of the femur near the middle aspect
• laterally it becomes the gluteal tuberosity; the upward prolongations of the linea aspera of the femur & extends to the greater trochanter & serves as the insertion site for the gluteus maximus muscle
• medially it becomes the pectineal line; upward medial continuation of the linea aspera as it extends towards the lesser trochanter & serves as an attachment point for the pectineus muscle

Question 14

What is the medial & lateral supracondylar ridges?

Answer 14

• the medial ridge is the continuation of the medial lip of the linea aspera, extending downward & serves as an attachment site for the adductor magnus muscle
• the lateral ridge is the the continuation of the lateral lip of linea aspera, extending downward

Question 15

What is the intercondylar ridge?

Answer 15

• a ridge of bone located between the medial and the lateral condyles on the posterior aspect of the lower end of the femur
• separates the intercondylar fossa from the popliteal surface of the femur

Question 16

What is the popliteal surface/fossa?

Answer 16

• a diamond-shaped space behind the knee joint
• it is the major route by which structures pass between the thigh and leg

Question 17

What is the femoral neck?

Answer 17

• connects the femoral shaft with the femoral head
• Normally at a 125 degree angle to the shaft of the femur

Question 18

What is the Q-Angle?

Answer 18

• a measure of how far the femur is angled laterally away from vertical
• In a standing position, the femur is obliquely angulated towards the midline of the body
• One line drawn extending from the ASIS through the midline of the patella
• Second line drawn vertically through the middle of the patellar tendon
• mean is 14 degrees in males & 17 degrees in females, >20 degrees is abnormal

Question 19

What are the attachment points for joint capsules?

Answer 19

• Just beyond the acetabulum over the femur
• Level of the Intertrochanteric line anteriorly
• Halfway down femoral neck posteriorly

Question 20

What are the capsular ligaments?

Answer 20

• iliofemoral ligament
• pubofemoral ligament
• ischiofemoral ligament

Question 21

What is the iliofemoral ligament?

Answer 21

• the strongest ligament in the body and attaches Anterior margin of acetabulum and AIIS & Greater trochanter and intertrochanteric line
• The “Y” ligament/ligament of bigelow
• prevents excess abduction and extension

Question 22

What is the pubofemoral ligament?

Answer 22

• located on the anterior aspect of the hip joint:
• Body of the pubis
• Femoral neck
• spirals down under the neck
• prevents hip abduction and extension

Question 23

What is the ischiofemoral ligament?

Answer 23

• attaches to the Ischium posterior to the acetabulum, Rolls over the neck of the femur & Attaches anteriorly on the greater trochanter
• limits hip extension & medial rotation