Where the femur sits in the skeleton
The femur is the thigh bone, running from hip to knee, and the longest and strongest bone in the body. It forms the hip joint with the hip bone above and the knee joint with the tibia below. Its neck meets the shaft at about 125 degrees in adults. The gluteus medius and minimus attach to the greater trochanter on the outer side and the iliopsoas to the lesser trochanter on the inner side. At its lower end the medial and lateral condyles rest on the tibia, and the patella glides on the surface in front.
Frequently asked questions
Which part of the skeleton is the femur in?
The femur is one of the bones of the pelvis and leg. The hip bones and sacrum form the pelvis, and the femur, patella, tibia and fibula form the leg.
Which bones make up the pelvis and leg?
The pelvis is formed by the two hip bones, the sacrum and the coccyx. Each leg has the femur, patella, tibia and fibula.
Is there one femur or a pair?
The femur is paired: there is one on the left and one on the right, and this page covers both.
What is the bony bump at the side of the hip?
The greater trochanter of the femur, where the gluteus medius and minimus attach.
Other bones of the pelvis and leg
Joints of the femur
Compare with similar bones
Bone counts
By region
Read more
Related reading
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- What getting up from a chair says about how your body is ageing
- Why ageing bone marrow turns to fat, and a PEMF study in mice
- PEMF and whole-body vibration: two rhythms that reach the body
- Myokines: the signals working muscle sends to the body
- Ageing parents: the changes families notice first
Once the 3D model loads you can turn it and select each part.