Anatomy: Thigh and knee

2. ANATOMY OF THE LOWER LIMB
The Thigh and Leg Bones
Group 4:
1. Ayanle Ahmed Muh’ed
2. Bariira Abdillahi Essa
3. Khaled Abduaziz Hussein
4. Sahardid Hashi Ardale

3. Lower Limb
• The number and arrangement of bones in the
lower limb are similar to those of the upper
limb.
• In the lower limb, however, they are adapted for
weight bearing and locomotion and are
therefore shaped and articulated differently.
• The lower limb is divided into four regions
containing a total of 30 bones per limb:

4. 1. The Femoral region, or thigh, extends from
the hip to knee and contains the femur. The
patella is a sesamoid bone at the junction of the
femoral and crural regions.
2. The crural region, or leg proper, extend
from the knee to ankle and contains two
bones tibia and fibula.
3. The tarsal region, or ankle, is the union of
the crural region with the foot. The tarsal bones
are treated as part of the foot.
4. The pedal region, or foot, is composed of 7
tarsal bones, 5 metatarsal & 14 phalanges in the
toes.

5. Femur
• The femur is the longest and strongest bone of
the body, measuring about one-quarter of one’s
height.
• The femur articulates above with the acetabulum to
form the hip joint and below with the tibia and the
patella to form the knee joint.
• The upper end of the femur has a head, a neck, and
greater and lesser trochanters.
• The head forms about two thirds of a sphere and
articulates with the acetabulum of the hip bone to
form the hip joint.
• In the center of the head is a small depression,
called the fovea capitis, for the attachment of the
ligament of the head.

7. • The neck, which connects the head to the
shaft, passes downward, backward, and
laterally and makes an angle of about 125° with
the long axis of the shaft.
• The greater and lesser trochanters are large
eminences situated at the junction of the neck
and the shaft.
• Connecting the two trochanters are the
intertrochanteric line anteriorly, where the
iliofemoral ligament is attached, and a
prominent intertrochanteric crest
posteriorly, on which is the quadrate
tubercle.

8. Anterior view posterior view

10. • The shaft of the femur is smooth and
rounded on its anterior surface but posteriorly
has a ridge, the linea aspera to which muscles
are attached and intermuscular septa.
• The margins of the linea aspera diverge above
and below.
• The medial margin continues below as the
medial supracondylar ridge to the
adductor tubercle on the medial condyle.
• The lateral margin becomes continuous below
with the lateral supracondylar ridge.

11. • On the posterior surface of the shaft below the
greater trochanter is the gluteal tuberosity for
the attachment of the gluteus maximus
muscle.
• The shaft becomes broader toward its distal end
and forms a flat, triangular area on its posterior
surface called the popliteal surface.
• The lower end of the femur has lateral and
medial condyles, separated posteriorly by the
intercondylar notch.

13. • The anterior surfaces of the condyles are
joined by an articular surface for the patella.
• The two condyles take part in the formation of
the knee joint.
• Above the condyles are the medial and lateral
epicondyles.
• The adductor tubercle is continuous with the
medial epicondyle.

15. Patella
• The patella is the largest sesamoid bone.
• It is triangular, and its apex lies
inferiorly; the apex is connected to the
tuberosity of the tibia by the ligamentum
patellae.
• The posterior surface articulates with the
condyles of the femur.
• The patella is situated in an exposed position
in front of the knee joint and can easily be
palpated through the skin.

17. • The upper, lateral, and medial margins
give attachment to the different parts of the
quadriceps femoris muscle.
• It is prevented from being displaced laterally
during the action of the quadriceps muscle by
the lower horizontal fibers of the vastus
medialis and by the large size of the lateral
condyle of the femur.

18. Tibia
• The tibia is the large weight-bearing medial
bone of the leg.
• It is second largest bone in our body.
• It articulates with the condyles of the femur and
the head of the fibula above and with the talus
and the distal end of the fibula below.
• It has an expanded upper end, a smaller lower end,
and a shaft.
• At the upper end are the lateral and medial
condyles (sometimes called lateral and medial
tibial plateaus), which articulate with the lateral
and medial condyles of the femur and the lateral
and medial menisci intervening.

20. • Separating the upper articular surfaces of the
tibial condyles are anterior and posterior
intercondylar areas; lying between these
areas is the intercondylar eminence.
• The lateral condyle possesses on its lateral
aspect a small circular articular facet for
the head of the fibula.
• The medial condyle has on its posterior aspect
the insertion of the semimembranosus
muscle.
• The shaft of the tibia is triangular in cross
section, presenting three borders and three
surfaces.

22. • At the junction of the anterior border with the
upper end of the tibia is the tuberosity, which
receives the attachment of the ligamentum
patellae.
• The anterior border becomes rounded below,
where it becomes continuous with the medial
malleolus.
• The lateral or interosseous border gives
attachment to the interosseous membrane.

23. • The posterior surface of the shaft shows an
oblique line, the soleal line, for the attachment
of the soleus muscle.
• The lower end of the tibia is slightly expanded
and on its inferior aspect shows a saddle-
shaped articular surface for the talus.
• The lower end is prolonged downward medially
to form the medial malleolus.
• The lateral surface of the medial malleolus
articulates with the talus.

24. • The lower end of the tibia shows a wide, rough
depression on its lateral surface for articulation
with the fibula.

26. Fibula
• The fibula is the slender lateral bone of the leg.
• It takes no part in the articulation at the knee
joint, but below it forms the lateral malleolus of
the ankle joint.
• It takes no part in the transmission of body
weight, but it provides attachment for muscles.
• The fibula has an expanded upper end, a shaft,
and a lower end.
• The upper end, or head, is surmounted by a
styloid process.

28. • It possesses an articular surface for
articulation with the lateral condyle of the tibia.
• The shaft of the fibula is long and slender.
• Typically, it has four borders and four surfaces.
• The medial or interosseous border gives
attachment to the interosseous membrane.
• The lower end of the fibula forms the
triangular lateral malleolus, which is
subcutaneous.

29. • On the medial surface of the lateral malleolus
is a triangular articular facet for
articulation with the lateral aspect of the talus.
• Below and behind the articular facet is a
depression called the malleolar fossa.

30. Knee Joint
• The knee is the
largest and most
superficial joint in
our body.
• It’s primarily a hinge
joint, but also is
combined with
gliding and rolling,
and with rotation
about a vertical axis.

31. Articulations of the Knee Joint
• The articular surfaces of the knee joint are
characterized by their:
• The knee joint consists of three articulations:
# Two femorotibial articulations(lat and med);
between the lateral and medial femoral and tibial
condyles.
# One intermediate femoropatellar articulation;
between the patella and the femur
# Large size, and
# Their complicated and incongruent shapes.

32. • The fibula is not involved in the knee joint.
• The knee joint is relatively weak mechanically
because of incongruence of its articular surfaces.
• The stability of the joint depends on:
• The most important muscle that support th knee
joint is the large quadriceps femoris, particularly
the inferior fibers of the vastus medialis and
lateralis.
# The strength and actions of the surrounding
muscles and their tendons, and
# The ligaments that connect the femur and tibia

33. • The erect, extended position is the most stable
position the knee joint, because:
# The articular surfaces are most congruent,
# The primary ligaments of the joint are taut, and
# The many tendons that surround the joint provide
a splinting effect.

34. Ligaments
• The major ligaments in the knee joint are:
1. Patellar ligament – A continuation of the quadriceps femoris
tendon distal to the patella. It attaches to the tibial tuberosity.
2. Collateral ligaments – These are two strap-like ligaments. They
act to stabilise the hinge motion of the knee, preventing any medial or
lateral movement
• Tibial (medial) collateral ligament – A wide and flat ligament,
found on the medial side of the joint. Proximally, it attaches to the
medial epicondyle of the femur, distally it attaches to the medial
surface of the tibia.
• Fibular (lateral) collateral ligament – Thinner and rounder
than the tibial collateral, this attaches proximally to the
lateral epicondyle of the femur, distally it attaches to a depression on
the lateral surface of the fibular head.

36. 3. Cruciate Ligaments – These two ligament
connect the femur and the tibia. In doing so, they
cross each other, hence the term ‘cruciate’ (Latin for
like a cross)
• Anterior cruciate ligament – attaches at the
anterior intercondylar region of the tibia and
ascends posteriorly to attach to the femur, in the
intercondylar fossa. It prevents anterior dislocation
of the tibia onto the femur.
• Posterior cruciate ligament – attaches at the
posterior intercondylar region of the tibia, and
ascends anteriorly to attach to the femur in the
intercondylar fossa. It prevents posterior dislocation
of the tibia onto the femur.

38. Ronaldo’s Injury
good example to torn TCL