Has your little one learned about the anatomy and function of the thigh bone?Parents? Let’s learn about this material together, shall we?
The femur, or femur, is the largest bone in the human body. Literally, the term femur comes from Latin, meaning thigh.
Well, the length of the femur can be seen from the hip to the knee. Referring to the size of an adult male femur, it typically measures around 48 cm in length and weighs over 283 grams.
For more information about this Biology topic, let’s take a look at the complete information that we have summarized from various sources below!
Various Functions of the Femur in the Human Body
As the largest bone in the human body, there are several functions of the femur that you should know. Here are some of them:
1. One of the main functions of the femur is to support the body.
The femur, or thigh bone, is the main bone of the leg. This bone plays a crucial role in supporting the body’s weight. Uniquely, this bone is capable of supporting the body when carrying heavy loads, even up to 30 times the human body weight. Therefore, it’s no wonder this bone is considered the strongest bone.
2. Helping People Move
Besides supporting the body, the femur also functions to aid human movement. For example, the femur provides articulation and leverage for the leg. This articulation allows humans to perform various activities, such as standing, walking, and running. Furthermore, this bone is connected to the hip joint, allowing the leg to move in all directions.
3. Become the Focus of All the Leg Bones
The femur is the main bone of the leg and all other leg bones are attached to the distal part of the femur, from the knee to the very bottom of the leg.
4. Place of Red Blood Cell Production
The medullary cavity in the femur contains red bone marrow. This marrow is involved in the production of red blood cells. Within the medullary cavity are the stem cells that produce red blood cells: the hematopoietic (blood cell-producing) and stromal (fat-producing) cells.
Getting to Know the Parts of the Femur
Reporting from Very Well Health,The femur is located in the thigh. It is the largest bone in the body and the only bone in the upper leg.
This type of bone is also known as a long bone. It’s longer than it is wide, with spongy bone at both ends and a cavity containing bone marrow in the shaft. Here are some parts of the femur.
1. Femur Head
The proximal end of the femur is the femoral head. The femoral head is a ball that forms part of the hip joint. This allows the leg to move at various angles.
2. Greater Trokanter
Below the femoral head are the neck and greater trochanter. The greater trochanter is attached to tendons that connect to the gluteus minimus and gluteus medius muscles. These muscles pull the leg forward to aid in walking and running.
3. Trokanter Minor
Below the greater trochanter is the lesser trochanter, located at the base of the femoral neck. This part is also referred to as thelesser trochanterThis is the part of the thigh bone that attaches to a pair of muscles. This part helps flex the thigh (lift the leg forward). Below the lesser trochanter is the gluteal tuberosity, where the gluteus maximus muscle attaches.
4. Main Trunk
The main shaft of the femur, also known as the femur shaft, connects to the patella, or knee cap, and the lower leg bones, the tibia, and the fibula. The distal end of the femur has a saddle-shaped structure that rests on the tibia. Within the femur is a modular cavity containing bone marrow.
Then, at the end is an area of dense compact bone. The compact bone is surrounded by spongy bone, which has small cavities throughout.
Various Disorders of the Femur
There are several disorders of the thigh bone that often occur, including the following:
1. Fracture or Broken Bone
This is the most common thigh bone disorder. Fractures typically occur when the thigh bone receives a significant impact. The femoral neck is most susceptible to fracture. Loss of bone density with age increases the risk of fractures in older adults.
2. Hip Dislocation
This condition occurs when the head of the femur is pulled away from the acetabulum (the socket where the head of the femur rests). It can be difficult to distinguish between a hip fracture (a break in the head or neck of the femur) and a hip dislocation.
Some healthcare providers consider a fracture or dislocation based on whether the patient’s leg is twisted inward or outward after the injury. In reality, there’s no way to distinguish between a hip fracture and a hip dislocation other than with an X-ray.
3. Perthes disease
Perthes disease is a rare childhood hip joint disorder. This condition affects blood flow to the head of the femur. The loss of blood flow causes the femur to become inflamed and bone tissue to die, a condition known as osteonecrosis.
4. Femoral Anteversion
It’s a twisting of the femur that appears in childhood. Experts believe this condition may affect as many as 10 percent of all children. In most cases, the condition resolves on its own after adolescence without the need for corrective surgery.
5. Bursitis
Bursitis is inflammation of the fluid-filled pads (bursae). This disease can affect any joint in the body, including the hips and knees.
That concludes our explanation of the parts and functions of the femur, along with common disorders. While some of the terms may seem unfamiliar, we hope this provides a useful overview for children learning this topic!
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
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