Bones and

Articulations
of the Lower
Limb
Xu Jin

Department of Anatomy
Chongqing Medical University
 overview
Characteristics
Bones---heavy
Joints---strong
Functions--supporting
(mainly); movements
 Bones of the Lower
Limb
pelvic girdle
hip bone: include 3 parts
ilium: iliac crest / anterior
superior iliac spine / iliac fossa /
arcuate line
ischium: ischial spine / ischial
tuberosity
pubis : pubic tubercle / pubic
crest / symphyseal surface
obturator groove /
acetabular fossa
 The bones of free lower limb

femur: the longest bone.

femoral head / neck of

femur / great trochanter /
lesser trochanter / medial
condyle / lateral condyle /
adductor tubercle (in
some cases)
patella: a biggest sesamoid bone
 The bones of leg
Tibia & Fibula
(Anterior view)

(which is superior end of

fibula and which is sinferior
end?)
Posterior of the tibia and fibula
The bones of foot
Tarsal bones: 7 bones (notice the
characterstic of trochlea of talus)

Metatarsal bones: 5 bones

Phalanges of toes: 14 bones

 Articulations of
the Lower Limb
The articulations of the pelvic girdle
The pelvis
Formation: two hip bones, sacrum and coccyx
Terminal line of pelvis
 synarthrosis

A. pubic symphysis.
B. sacrotuberous lig. and sacrospinous lig
C. obturator membrane
 diarthrosis

sacroiliac joint: which may be slighly movable.

Terminal line of pelvis: which divide the
the pelvis into a greater pelvis and a
lesser pelvis ( terminal line / superior
pelvic aperture / inferior pelvic aperture /
subpubic angle)
Notes---a standard anatomical position:
bilateral anterior superior iliac spines
and pubic tubercles are situated in a
vertical plane. (by demonstration)
The articulations of free lower limb
Hip joint: ball-socket joint
Basic formation: acetabulum and femoral head ; articular
capsule and cavity
Special structures: acetabular labrum &transverse
acetabular lig.& ligment of head of femur (intracapsular )
iliofemoral lig.(extracapular)
Movements: just like shoulder joint, but less flexible
Knee joint: biggest and most complicated joint
Basic formation: medial and lateral condyles of femur
& medial and lateral condyles of tibia & patella
Special structures:
tibial lig. & fibular collateral lig. (extracapsular lig.)
patellar lig. & oblique popliteal lig. (extracapsular lig.)
anterior cruciate lig. & posterior cruciate lig.
( intracapsular lig.)
medial meniscus & lateral meniscus ( intracapsular lig.)
Movements: flexion and extension
The tibiofibular union
 tibiofibular joint
 crural interosseous membrane
 tibiofibular syndesmosis
The articulation of the foot
The ankle joint: compare the
lig on the medial side with that
on lateral side, which side is
stronger
The intertarsal joints
The tarsometatarsal joints
The metatarsophalangeal
joints
The interphalangeal joints
 Summary
1. hip joint (by students themselves)
2. knee joint (by students themselves)
3. ankle joint (by students themselves)
4. Pelvis (by students themselves)
 Upper limb
Shouler-girdle:
Forming a unclosed bony circle
Shoulder joint
Basical structures
Special structures
Sum: the characteristic is
flexible movement
Elbow joint: compound joint, whichKnee joint: the articular surfaces include 3
consists of 3 joints
Special structure are simple
Movement: flexion and extension
Radioulnar union:
proximal radioulnar joint;
Interossoeous membrane
distal radioulnar joint;
Radiocarple joint
Formed by the 1st row of carpal
bones &radius
Remaining joints: done by students Remaining joints done by students.
Lower limb
Pelvic-girdle:
Forming a bony circle
Hip joint
Basical structures
Special structures
Sum: the characteristic is stable movement
separated surfaces from 3 bones
Special structures are more diversity
Movement: flexion and extension; when it is
in flexed position, it can do rotation
Tibiofibular union:
tibiofibular joint;
interosseous membrane;
tibiofibular syndesmosis
Ankle joint
Formed by talus & fibula and tibia
6. when a person goes down the hill or stairs, his ankle joint
will be easily sprained. why?
Inversion comprises plantar flexion and supination;
Eversion comprises dorsiflexion and pronation

⑴ breadth of anterior portion of trochlea of talus is wider than that of the

posterior portion. (when ankle is plantar flexed , the articular cavity slightly
increase. that means its stability is decreasing) . when ankle is plantar flexed,
the direct contact surface between the articular surfaces is decreasing, so the
joint becomes more flexible. The stability is decreasing.
⑵ the medial lig of the ankle joint is stronger than lateral lig. the medial lig limit
the eversion of the ankle joint.
⑶ the lower margin of lateral malleolus is lower than that of medial malleolus.
the lateral malleolus limit the eversion, too.
when a person goes down the hill, the ankle joint is plantar flexed.. by
accident the foot is “over-inversed”, sprained. Often accompanied by lateral lig.
damaged. In some cases, the lateral malleolus may fracture.
7. compared male pelvis with
female pelvis
key points:
① the male pelvis looks like a
funnel. however, the female pelvis
looks like a basin.
② the cavity of female pelvis
should fit the birth of fetus
the morphology must be consistent
with function. grasp the key points,
students can compare the
differences of pelvis between male
and female.