The borders of the femur are the linea aspera, a medial border, and a lateral border.
Linea aspera border The
linea aspera is a prominent longitudinal ridge or crest, on the middle third of the bone, presenting a medial and a lateral lip, and a narrow rough, intermediate line. Above, the linea aspera is prolonged by three ridges. The lateral ridge termed the
gluteal tuberosity is very rough, and runs almost vertically upward to the base of the
greater trochanter. It gives attachment to part of the
gluteus maximus: its upper part is often elongated into a roughened crest, on which a more or less well-marked, rounded tubercle, the
third trochanter, is occasionally developed. The intermediate ridge or
pectineal line is continued to the base of the
lesser trochanter and gives attachment to the
pectineus; the medial ridge is lost in the
intertrochanteric line; between these two a portion of the
iliacus is inserted. Below, the linea aspera is prolonged into two ridges, enclosing between them a triangular area, the
popliteal surface, upon which the
popliteal artery rests. Of these two ridges, the lateral is the more prominent, and descends to the summit of the
lateral condyle. The medial is less marked, especially at its upper part, where it is crossed by the
femoral artery. It ends below at the summit of the
medial condyle, in a small tubercle, the
adductor tubercle, which affords insertion to the tendon of the
adductor magnus. From the medial lip of the linea aspera and its prolongations above and below, the
vastus medialis arises; and from the lateral lip and its upward prolongation, the
vastus lateralis takes origin. The adductor magnus is inserted into the linea aspera, and to its lateral prolongation above, and its medial prolongation below. Between the vastus lateralis and the adductor magnus two muscles are attached: the gluteus maximus inserted above, and the short head of the
biceps femoris arising below. Between the adductor magnus and the vastus medialis four muscles are inserted: the iliacus and pectineus above; the adductor brevis and adductor longus below. The linea aspera is perforated a little below its center by the
nutrient canal, which is directed obliquely upward.
Lateral border and medial border The other two borders of the femur are only slightly marked: the
lateral border extends from the antero-inferior angle of the greater trochanter to the anterior extremity of the lateral condyle; the
medial border from the
intertrochanteric line, at a point opposite the lesser trochanter, to the anterior extremity of the medial condyle. ==Surfaces==