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Lower Extremity - Bones & Photos

Femur
Head
  • Articulates with acetabulum of the os coxa of the pelvis
  • Fovea capitis is attachment site for the ligament of the head of the femur
Neck
  • Connects femoral head and shaft
  • Vulnerable to fracture
Greater and lesser trochanters
  • Arise from junction of femoral shaft and neck; sites for muscle attachment
  • Greater trochanter arises laterally
  • Lesser trochanter arises medially
  • Intertrochanteric line (anteriorly) and intertrochanteric crest (posteriorly) extend between greater and lesser trochanters
Shaft
  • Gluteal tuberosity extends inferomedially from the greater tubercle (attachment site for gluteus maximus)
  • Linea aspera descends along posterior femoral shaft; comprises medial and lateral lips (attachment sites for muscles of the thigh)
  • Supraconylar lines (medial and lateral) are distal continuations of the lips of the linea aspera
  • Spiral line arises on proximal femur and merges with the medial lip of the linea aspera
  • Pectineal line lies superolateral to the spiral line, and also merges with the medial lip of the linea aspera
Epicondyles
  • Medial epicondyle has adductor tubercle (attachment site)
  • Lateral epicondyle
Condyles (medial and lateral)
  • Distal end of femur
  • Intercondylar fossa is notch between lateral and medial condyles
Patellar surface
  • Anterior site of patellar (kneecap) articulation.
Tibia
  • Medial leg bone
Medial and lateral condyles
  • Articulate with the condyles of the femur
Superior articular facets
  • On the surface of the condyles; sites of articulation with the condyles of the femur
Intercondylar eminence
  • A bony projection between the superior articular facets
Tibial tuberosity
  • Rough, raised portion of bone where the patellar tendon of the quadriceps muscle inserts
Anterior intercondylar area
  • Provides attachment sites for ligaments of the knee
  • Gerdy's tubercle (aka anterolateral tubercle), which is where the iliotibial band (aka iliotibial band) inserts.
Shaft (aka body)
Medial malleolus
  • Bony bump you feel on the medial side of your ankle
Tibial articular surface
  • Where the tibia articulates with the bones of the ankle (aka tarsals)
Fibula
  • Lateral leg bone
Apex
  • Pointy projection
Head
  • Articulates with tibia
Neck
Shaft
Lateral malleolus
  • Bony bump you can feel on the lateral side of your ankle.
Interosseus membrane
  • Fills the space between the tibia and fibula; provides additional muscle attachment sites and divides the muscles of the leg into anterior and posterior compartments.
Tarsals
Calcaneus
  • Largest tarsal bone, lies posteriorly (aka, heel); features the tuberosity, lateral and medial processes, sustenaculum tali, groove for tendon of flexor hallucis longus,
Talus
  • Features neck, head, and trochlear surface, which articulates with tibia of leg; lateral and medial tubercles border the groove for the tendon of flexor hallucis longus.
Navicular
  • Boat shaped
Cuboid
  • Cube shaped; features the tuberosity and the groove for the tendon of fibularis longus.
Cuneiforms
  • Lateral, intermediate, and medial
Metatarsals
  • Five bones of the base of the foot
Phalanges
  • Proximal phalanges
  • Middle phalanges
  • Distal phalanges
  • Digits 2-5 have all three phalanges, digit 1 has only proximal and distal phalanges.
Arches of the Foot
  • Created by the bones of the foot, and are supported by ligaments and tendons, which respond to changes in weight load during bipedal movement.
Medial
  • Arises on the calcaneus, extends to the metatarsals 1-3; the talus is its keystone bone
Lateral
Transverse
Photos from:
https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/bluelink/resources/bluelinks/labeled-bones-joints-and-movement-images