The intertrochanteric crest is a prominent bony ridge upon the posterior surface of the

femur The femur (; : femurs or femora ), or thigh bone is the only long bone, bone in the thigh — the region of the lower limb between the hip and the knee. In many quadrupeds, four-legged animals the femur is the upper bone of the hindleg. The Femo ...

at the junction of the

neck The neck is the part of the body in many vertebrates that connects the head to the torso. It supports the weight of the head and protects the nerves that transmit sensory and motor information between the brain and the rest of the body. Addition ...

and the shaft of the femur. It extends between the greater trochanter superiorly, and the

lesser trochanter In human anatomy, the lesser trochanter is a conical, posteromedial, bony projection from the shaft of the femur. It serves as the principal insertion site of the iliopsoas muscle. Structure The lesser trochanter is a conical posteromedial p ...

inferiorly.

Anatomy

The intertrochanteric crest is a prominent smooth bony ridge upon the posterior surface of the

at the junction of the

and the shaft of the femur; together with the

intertrochanteric line The intertrochanteric line is a line upon the anterior aspect of the proximal end of the femur, extending between the lesser trochanter and the greater trochanter. It is a rough, variable ridge. Structure The intertrochanteric line marks the bound ...

on the anterior side of the head, the intertrochanteric crest marks the transition between the femoral neck and shaft. The intertrochanteric crest extends between the greater trochanter superiorly, and the

inferiorly; it passes obliquely inferomedially from the greater trochanter to the lesser trochanter. An elevation between the middle and proximal third of the crest is known as the quadrate tubercle.

Relations

The distal capsular attachment on the femur follows the shape of the irregular rim between the head and the neck. As a consequence, the capsule of the hip joint attaches in the region of the intertrochanteric line on the anterior side, but a

finger A finger is a prominent digit (anatomy), digit on the forelimbs of most tetrapod vertebrate animals, especially those with prehensile extremities (i.e. hands) such as humans and other primates. Most tetrapods have five digits (dactyly, pentadact ...

away from the intertrochanteric crest on the posterior side of the head.

References

External links

* * () Bones of the lower limb Femur {{musculoskeletal-stub