Also called: thigh bone
The femur is the thigh bone and the longest, strongest bone of the body. Its head articulates with the acetabulum of the hip bone, and its distal condyles form the knee joint with the tibia and patella. Major landmarks include the neck, greater and lesser trochanters, the linea aspera and the adductor tubercle.
| Type | Long bone. |
|---|---|
| Location | Thigh, between the hip and knee. |
| Landmarks | Head, fovea, neck, greater and lesser trochanters, intertrochanteric line and crest, linea aspera, gluteal tuberosity, medial and lateral condyles, epicondyles, adductor tubercle, patellar surface. |
| Articulations | Hip bone (hip joint); tibia and patella (knee joint). |
| Muscle attachments | Gluteal muscles, iliopsoas, adductors, quadriceps (vasti), short head of biceps femoris, gastrocnemius, popliteus. |
3D model: BodyParts3D (CC BY 4.0), adult male reference anatomy. Highlighted structure shown with nearby bones for context.
The neck of the femur meets the shaft at an angle of about 125 degrees in adults. This angle, together with the blood supply of the femoral head, explains why femoral neck fractures are serious.
The femoral head depends on small vessels that run along the neck, so a fracture can cause avascular necrosis.
Yes. It is the longest and strongest bone.
Test yourself
Lower limb bone quiz
Practise origins, insertions, nerve supply and locations with instant feedback.
Explore in context
Open the femur in the full 3D atlas
Toggle body systems, explode the model and inspect every neighbouring structure.