Neck of femur
Collum ossis femoris
- Latin synonym: Collum femoris
Definition
The neck of femur serves as the connecting link between the femoral head and the shaft. It is positioned at an angle of 125 degrees with respect to the shaft, allowing for smooth hip movements. The neck is characterized by two borders, namely superior and inferior, which meet the greater and lesser trochanters of the shaft, respectively. Additionally, it exhibits two surfaces, anterior and posterior, which meet with the shaft at the intertrochanteric line anteriorly and intertrochanteric crest posteriorly. The hip joint capsule extends onto the neck of femur, making it partially intracapsular and partially extracapsular.
Crucial structures attached to the intertrochanteric line include the hip joint capsule, upper and lower bands of the iliofemoral ligament, and the uppermost regions of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis muscles.
The blood supply to the femoral neck is derived from the retinacular and ascending cervical branches of the medial and lateral circumflex arteries. Here you can access further information on the blood supply of the femoral neck and head.
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Text written by Muhammad A. Javaid, MD, PhD © 2023 IMAIOS.
Standring, S. and Gray, H. (2016). ‘Chapter 80: Pelvic girdle, gluteal region and thigh’ in Gray’s anatomy The anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. (41st ed.) New York: Elsevier, pp. 1348-1353.
