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Fémur

Os femoris

Longest and strongest bone in the human body, the femur bears the body's weight and anchors the powerful muscles of the thigh, transmitting weight from the hip to the tibia during standing and locomotion. It extends from the hip joint to the knee. Its proximal end carries the femoral head, neck, and the greater and lesser trochanters; the shaft is bowed slightly forward; and the distal end forms the medial and lateral condyles that articulate with the tibia. Femoral neck fractures are common in elderly patients with osteoporosis, whereas shaft fractures usually follow high-energy trauma. The femoral head is vulnerable to avascular necrosis when its blood supply is interrupted.

El fémur se extiende desde la articulación de la cadera hasta la articulación de la rodilla. Su extremo proximal presenta la cabeza femoral, el cuello y los trocánteres mayor y menor. La diáfisis está ligeramente curvada hacia adelante. El extremo distal forma los cóndilos medial y lateral, que se articulan con la tibia.

On this page
Tipo Bone
Sistema corporal Esquelético
Región corporal Muslo
Estructura principal hindlimb long bone
Nombre latino Os femoris
FMA ID 24474

Función

El hueso más largo y resistente del cuerpo humano. Soporta el peso del cuerpo y proporciona inserción a los potentes músculos del muslo. Transmite el peso corporal desde la cadera hasta la tibia durante la bipedestación y la locomoción.

Significado clínico

Las fracturas del cuello femoral son frecuentes en pacientes ancianos con osteoporosis. Las fracturas de la diáfisis femoral resultan de traumatismos de alta energía. La cabeza femoral es susceptible a la necrosis avascular.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the femur?

The femur is the thigh bone and the single bone of the upper leg. It is the longest, largest, and strongest bone in the human body. Proximally it articulates with the hip socket (acetabulum) at the hip joint, and distally it articulates with the tibia and patella at the knee joint. It transmits the body's weight from the pelvis to the lower leg during standing, walking, and running.

How long and strong is the femur?

In an adult male, the femur averages approximately 45–48 cm (17–19 inches) in length, representing about 26% of a person's height. It is capable of withstanding compressive forces of approximately 1,700–7,700 N under normal conditions. Despite its strength, the femoral neck is a common fracture site in osteoporotic elderly individuals because of its trabecular bone composition and angulated geometry.

What are common femur fractures?

Femoral fractures are classified by location: femoral head fractures (typically from hip dislocations), femoral neck fractures (common in elderly with osteoporosis — often called hip fractures), intertrochanteric fractures, subtrochanteric fractures, femoral shaft fractures (requiring high-energy trauma), and distal femur fractures near the knee. Femoral neck fractures in the elderly carry significant morbidity and mortality and usually require surgical fixation or hip replacement.

References

  1. Foundational Model of Anatomy — FMA:24474 Reference anatomy ontology (University of Washington)
  2. UBERON — UBERON:0000981 Cross-species anatomy ontology (EMBL-EBI Ontology Lookup Service)
  3. Wikipedia — Fémur Encyclopedia article (verified cross-reference)

Aviso médico

Este contenido es solo para fines educativos e informativos. No pretende ser un sustituto del consejo médico profesional, diagnóstico o tratamiento. Siempre busque el consejo de su médico u otro proveedor de salud calificado ante cualquier pregunta que pueda tener sobre una condición médica. Nunca ignore el consejo médico profesional ni demore en buscarlo debido a algo que haya leído en este sitio web.

Educational Disclaimer

This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical decisions.

Data sources: Terminologia Anatomica, Foundational Model of Anatomy, Wikidata.