MBHE010

SKELETAL SYSTEM
OESTEOLOGY AND JOINTS OF THE
LOWER LIMB

Ms NC. Mabunda
 BONES OF THE LOWER LIMB

FOOT BONES

PATELLA
FEMUR TIBIA AND FIBULA
PELVIC BONE
PELVIC BONE
 Large, flat pelvic bone formed by the fusion of three
primary bones
 Ilium
 Ischium
 Pubis
 Classification: Flat bone
 This occurs at the end of the teenage years.
 At puberty, the three bones are still separated by
a Y-shaped triradiate cartilage centered in the
acetabulum,
 The bones begin to fuse between 15 and 17 years of
age
 Fusion is complete between 20 and 25 years of
age
PELVIC BONE
Ilium
 Alae -Wings
 Lies laterally
 For the attachment of muscles
 Body of the ilium
 Joins the pubis and ischium to form the
acetabulum
 Anterior superior and anterior inferior iliac spines
 Posterior superior and posterior inferior iliac spines
 Attachment for ligaments and tendons
PELVIC BONE
Ilium
 Iliac crest
 From the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS),
extending posteriorly, terminating at the
posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS)
 The tubercle of the iliac crest (iliac tubercle)
 Greater sciatic notch
 Iliac fossa
 Lies medially- for the iliacus muscle
 Auricular surface- With Iliac tuberosity
 Medially and posteriorly
 For the sacroiliac joint
 PELVIC BONE
Ischium
 Body of ischium
 Fuses with the pubis and ilium
 Forming the posteroinferior aspect of
the acetabulum
 Inferior and superior ramus of the ischium
 Joins the inferior ramus of the pubis to
form a bar of bone
 Ischiopubic ramus
 Ischial spine
 Ligamentous attachment
 Lesser sciatic notch
 Ischial tuberosity
 Rough bony projection at the junction of
the body of the ischium and its ramus
 PELVIC BONE
Pubis
 Anteromedial part of the hip bone
 Anterior part of the acetabulum
 Divided into:
 Medially placed body
 Superior and inferior rami that project laterally from
the body
 Symphysial surface of the body of the pubis
 For articulation with the corresponding surface of
the body of the contralateral pubis
 Forming the pubic symphysis
 Pubic crest
 Provides attachment for abdominal muscles
 Pubic tubercles
 Small projections at the lateral ends of this crest
PELVIC BONE
Obturator foramen
 A large oval or irregularly triangular opening in
the hip bone
 Closed by the thin, strong obturator
membrane
 Provides extensive surface area on both sides
for muscle attachment
 Contains the obturator canal
 A small passageway for the obturator
nerve and vessels
PELVIC BONE
Acetabulum of the pelvis
 Large cup shaped fossa
 Articulation with the head of the femur
 Inferiorly it has a notch
 Acetabular notch
 Acetabular fossa provides attachment for:
 Ligament of the head of the femur
 Contains blood vessels and nerves
 FEMUR
 Longest, strongest, heaviest bone in body
 Classification: Long bone
 Divided into Proximal end, shaft and distal
end of femur

 Proximal end:
 Head:
 Articulates with the acetabulum
 Projects supero-medially
 Contains the fovea for the ligament
of the head
 Neck:
 Connects the head to the shaft
 Greater and lesser trochanters:
 Situated on the superior part of the
shaft
 Attachment site for the muscles
moving the hip
 FEMUR
Proximal End of Femur:
 Greater trochanter
 Projects outwards superiorly at junction of
neck & shaft
 Lesser trochanter
 Projects postero-medially
 Intertrochanteric line
 Situated between the trochanters
ANTERIORLY
 Trochanteric fossa:
 Small and hollow fossa
 Situated medial side of apex of greater
trochanter
 Intertrochanteric Crest
 POSTERIORLY running from the greater to
the lesser trochanter
Shaft of Femur:
FEMUR
 Descends slightly medially
 The knees are closer to the midline
 Increase stability
 Long , smooth except for a rough area situated
posteriorly called the linea aspera
 Medial + lateral lip
 Proximally:
 The medial lip becomes the pectineal line
 The lateral lip becomes the gluteal tuberosity
(attachment for gluteus maximus)
 Distally:
 The linea aspera widens to form the floor of the
popliteal fossa
 The medial and lateral borders form the medial and
lateral supracondylar lines
 Medial supracondylar line terminates at the
adductor tubercle
FEMUR
 FEMUR
Distal end of Femur:
 Enlarged to form 2 rounded surfaces
medial + lateral condyles articulates
with tibia
 Medial + lateral EPI condyles: non
articular parts, for muscle and
ligament attachments
 Medial epicondyle is larger that
lateral adductor tubercle present
just above medial epicondyle
 Intercondylar fossa:
 Depression found posteriorly
 Attachment of ligament
FEMUR
 PATELLA
 Classification: Sesamoid bone
 Formed in the tendon of quadriceps femoris
 Anterior to knee joint, forms part of joint
 Triangular, flattened bone
 Apex points downwards: attachment of patellar ligament
 Base is broad: attachment of quadriceps femoris
 Posterior surface = covered with cartilage, articulates with patellar surface of femur
 Vertical ridge divides into smaller medial and larger lateral part = articular surface of patella
PATELLA
TIBIA
 Classification: Long bone
 Medial and larger bone in the leg
 Only bone that articulates with the femur
 Only weight bearing bone between knee &
ankle
 Divided into proximal end, shaft, and distal end
 TIBIA
Proximal end:
 Widened by the medial (large and oval) and lateral
(small and rounded) condyles
 Aids in weight bearing
 Articulates with the femoral condyles to form
the knee joint
 Intercondylar eminence
 Located between the tibial condyles
 Consist of two tubercles
 Fits into the intercondylar fossa of the femur
 TIBIA

Proximal end:
 Articular facet on inferior surface of lateral condyle
for joint between tibia and head of fibula superior
tibiofibular joint
 Tibial tuberosity
 Anterior surface of the proximal tibia
 Attachment for the patellar ligament
 TIBIA
The shaft:
 Three borders and three surfaces
 Anterior border from the tibial
tuberosity it is palpable down the
anterior surface of the leg as the
shin
 Posterior surface ridge of bone
called the Soleal line. It runs
inferomedially, eventually blending
with the medial border of the tibia
 Lateral/interosseous border-This
gives attachment to the
interosseous membrane that binds
the tibia and the fibula together
 TIBIA
Distal end
 The distal end of the tibia, like the
proximal, widens to help with weight
bearing
 Bony projection inferiorly on the medial
side: medial malleolus
 It articulates with the tarsal bones to
form part of the ankle joint.
 Laterally: fibular notch.
FIBULA
 Classification: Long bone
 Main function: attachment site for
muscles, it does not have a weight
baring function
 Posterolateral, parallel to tibia
 Long, thin bone with irregular,
triangular shape on cross section
 Divides into three: Proximal end,
shaft, and distal end
 FIBULA
 Proximal end
 Knob-shaped head
 Apex superiorly
 Articular surface medially (facing anterior
and superior, articulating with lateral
condyle of tibia)
 Common fibular nerve crosses
subcutaneously over narrowed neck just
below head –easily injured

 Shaft
 Interosseous border is situated medially =
interosseous membrane attached
 FIBULA
Distal end
 Long, pointed, subcutaneous lateral malleolus
projects inferiorly from distal end,10mm longer
than medial malleolus
 Triangular, articular surface situated medially on
the lateral malleolus for articulation with talus of
ankle joint
 Another triangular articular process superior to
lateral malleolus articulates with tibia
 Fibula not weight bearing, forms lateral aspect of
ankle joint, stabilizes joint
 Area for attachment of muscles
 FOOT BONES
 Specialized for locomotion & weight
bearing
 7 Tarsals–A set of seven irregularly
shaped bones. They are situated
proximally in the foot, in the ankle area
 5 Metatarsals–These bones connect
the phalanges to the tarsals. There are
five in number –one for each digit
 14 Phalanges–The bones of the toes.
Each toe has three phalanges –a
proximal, intermediate and distal
(except the big toe, which only has two
phalanges)
 TARSALS
 Tarsal bones
 Classification: Short bones
 Talus articulates with tibia & fibula,
calcaneus, navicular bones
 Calcaneus= posterior end enlarged
to form the heel
 Cuboid& navicular(boat-shaped)
bones
 Cuneiform bones
 Lateral cuneiform
 Intermediate cuneiform
 Medial cuneiform
METATARSALS
 Metatarsal bones
 Classification: Long bones with a
base, shaft & head
 Medial to lateral numbered I-V
 Heads articulate with proximal
phalanges
PHALANGES

 Phalanges
 Classification: long bones
 Three phalanges in each toe
except big toe
 Base, shaft & head
JOINTS OF THE LOWER LIMB
JOINTS OF THE LOWER LIMB
1. The Hip Joint
 The hip joint is a ball and
socket synovial joint, formed
by an articulation between the
pelvic acetabulum and the
head of the femur.

 It forms a connection from the

lower limb to the pelvic girdle,
and thus is designed for stability
and weight-bearing – rather
than a large range of
movement.
JOINTS OF THE LOWER LIMB

2. Knee Joint
 The knee joint is a hinge type synovial
joint, which mainly allows for flexion
and extension (and a small degree of
medial and lateral rotation)
 It is formed by articulations between the
patella, femur and tibia
JOINTS OF THE LOWER LIMB
3. Tibiofibular Joints
 The proximal and distal tibiofibular
joints refer to two articulations
between the tibia and fibula of the leg.
 These joints have minimal function in
terms of movement but play a greater
role in stability and weight-bearing
 It is a plane type synovial joint
JOINTS OF THE LOWER LIMB
4. Ankle Joint
 The ankle joint (or talocrural joint) is
a synovial joint located in the lower
limb.
 It is formed by the bones of the leg
(tibia and fibula) and the foot
(talus).
 Functionally, it is a hinge type
joint, permitting dorsiflexion and
plantarflexion of the foot.
JOINTS OF THE LOWER LIMB
5. The Subtalar Joint
 The subtalar joint is an
articulation between two of the
tarsal bones in the foot – the
talus and calcaneus.
 The joint is classed structurally
as a synovial joint, and
functionally as a plane
synovial joint
 Subtalar joint functions as a
bridge between foot and ankle
Thank
You