Femur – Structure, Function & Diseases
Femur
The thigh bone is the longest tubular bone in the human skeleton and is also referred to as the femur in the medical field . Anatomically, it can be divided into several sections and plays a major role in locomotion. The diseases that occur in this area are all the more drastic.
What is the femur?
Due to its high density, the thigh bone (the femur) has a very high stability and strength. It is the strongest bone in the human joint apparatus and forms the bony foundation of the thigh . Like all long bones, the femur has a medullary cavity with associated bone marrow . As part of the lower limb, the longest tubular bone in the body interacts directly with the lower leg and knee joint .
The femur connects to the pelvis via the hip joint . The femur is divided into the anatomical sections femoral head, femoral neck, femoral shaft and lower end of the long bone. In addition, the femur forms the starting point and attachment point for a large number of muscles .
Anatomy & Structure
The entire femur is made up of a solid protective layer and a filled cavity filled with soft tissue made from blood cells . As the name suggests, the head of the thigh is at the top of the long bone. The head of the thigh is spherical and forms the hip joint with the hip socket of the pelvis. The femoral head is supplied with blood by an artery that is securely enclosed by the femoral head fossa.
The femoral head is directly connected to the femoral neck, which is at 127° to the femoral shaft in adult humans. There are two trochanters at the apex of the femoral neck. While the major trochanter is anatomically located on the outside, the lesser trochanter is placed on the inside. Both trochanters serve as a starting point for large muscle groups such. B. Hip flexors or arm spreaders. Directly below the neck of the femur is the cylindrical shaft of the femur, on the back of which is the so-called rough line. It serves primarily as a starting point for various muscle groups.
The rough line, also called Linea aspera, is itself divided into two ridges. These two ridges diverge at the top and bottom of the femoral head and only come together again in the middle of the bone. Together with the tibia, the two lower thigh rolls form the knee joint. The lower end of the femur is divided into two condyles, which, in contrast to the shaft of the femur, are very thick. They also have an outward curvature. The cruciate ligament cavity is located between the two separate articular knobs , which in turn establishes contact with the kneecap .
Function & Tasks
As the largest bone in the human musculoskeletal system, the femur has important functions in the body. The head of the femur together with the acetabulum of the pelvis form the hip joint. The latter is anatomically a large ball joint. Furthermore, the lower articular surfaces of the femur form the basis for the kneecap.
First and foremost, the main task of the femur is to form the knee and hip joints. In addition, the spiral course of the joint surfaces relaxes the side ligaments when the knee joint bends, so that internal and external rotation of the lower leg is possible. Standing and walking upright and moving forward in steps would not be possible without the perfect interaction of bones and joints. Since the thigh consists of only a single bone, it is particularly important that it is stable and stable.
Due to its robust consistency, the femur is able to transmit the existing body strength from the pelvis to the lower limbs. In the area between the shaft and neck of the femur, there is a larger and a smaller trochanter on the back of the femur, which serve to attach the muscles.
Diseases
The most common complaints, functional disorders or limitations result from the anatomical structure and from the daily stress during movement. Due to the high stress, the femur is particularly affected by wear and tear diseases. The articular surfaces and condyles of the femur are most susceptible to signs of wear and inflammation. Not only the daily movement, but also congenital malpositions of the joint apparatus such. B. Hip dysplasia can lead to premature wear of the femur.
Painful complaints, restricted mobility or even complete inability to move are usually triggered in old age by osteoarthritis of the knee joint or osteoarthritis of the hip joint. If the arthritic changes cannot be remedied by conservative therapy, the only option for those affected is joint replacement. In older people, serious falls resulting in femoral neck fractures are not uncommon. Since bone density decreases with age, there is a risk that a fracture between the femoral head and femoral neck can occur even with light physical activity. Fractures in this area usually have to be treated surgically.
Another femoral fracture that typically occurs in old age is a thigh fracture near the knee. These are fractures above the articulated rollers. Once the femur is broken, the healing process is extremely difficult and fraught with complications. A femoral shaft fracture is a rather rare fracture of the femur. This type of thigh fracture is only possible with the greatest exertion of force. The statistically most common reason for a femoral shaft fracture is a car accident in which strong mechanical forces act on the bone.
Hello! I am Lisa Newlon, and I am a medical writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry. I have a Master’s degree in Medicine, and my deep understanding of medical terminology, practices, and procedures has made me a trusted source of information in the medical world.