Description
The neck of femur (femoral neck) is the short, constricted, bar-like part of the bone that connects the head and body of femur. It projects superomedially from the proximal end of the body of femur, with its lateral end being the widest, and its middle part being the narrowest. The boundary that separates the neck and body of femur is defined:
—anteriorly, by the intertrochanteric line;
—posteriorly, by the intertrochanteric crest;
—superiorly, by the greater trochanter;
—inferiorly, by the lesser trochanter.
The posterior aspect of the neck of femur contains a groove, through which the tendon for the obturator externus passes. The neck of femur is the weakest part of the bone, and is therefore susceptible to injury, especially in the elderly.
Related parts of the anatomy
