108
wider toward each end, the compact wall of bone becomes thinner and the medullary cavity accumulates spongy
bone. The proximal end consists of a short cantilevered neck capped by a smooth, round articular head. Projec-
tions of bone, the trochanters, form at the base of the cantilevered neck. The distal end consists of two large,
knuckle-like processes separated by an intermediate groove. The femur articulates with three bones: the os coxae,
patella, and tibia.
The femur is the longest bone of the body. The strong shaft forms a long cylindrical tube with
a slight forward bow. The strong wall of the shaft is thickest near the narrow center of the bone
where the medullary cavity is also the most spacious. As the shaft becomes progressively
Femur
Left femur
Anterior view, lateral to rigjt
Left femur
Posterior view, lateral to left
1
1
3
3
4
4
6
6
7
8
9
10 11
12
13
14
15
16
16
19
19
22
23
20
17
18
20
18
17
2
Atlas_AppendSkel.indd Page 108 15/03/11 8:57 PM user-F391Atlas_AppendSkel.indd Page 108 15/03/11 8:57 PM user-F391 /Users/user-F391/Desktop/Users/user-F391/Desktop