The medial condyle is one of the two projections on the
lower extremity of femur
The lower extremity of femur (or distal extremity) is the lower end of the femur (thigh bone) in human and other animals, closer to the knee. It is larger than the upper extremity of femur, is somewhat cuboid in form, but its transverse diameter i ...
, the other being the
lateral condyle.
The medial
condyle
A condyle (;Entry "condyle"
in
centre of mass
In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the balance point) is the unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. This is the point to which a force may ...
being medial to the knee. On the posterior surface of the condyle the
linea aspera
The linea aspera ( la, rough line) is a ridge of roughened surface on the posterior surface of the shaft of the femur. It is the site of attachments of muscles and the intermuscular septum.
Its margins diverge above and below.
The linea asper ...
(a ridge with two lips: medial and lateral; running down the posterior shaft of the femur) turns into the
medial and
lateral supracondylar ridges, respectively. The outermost protrusion on the medial surface of the medial condyle is referred to as the "medial epicondyle" and can be palpated by running fingers medially from the patella with the knee in flexion.
It is important to take into consideration the difference in the length of the condyles in a cross section to better understand the geometry of the knee. The medial femoral condyle has an extra segment which is the cause for the passive rotation of the knee joint.
Additional images
File:Gray244.png, Right femur. Anterior surface.
File:Gray245.png, Right femur. Posterior surface.
File:Gray347.png, Right knee-joint, from the front, showing interior ligaments.
File:Gray439.png, Muscles of the back of the leg. Deep layers.
File:Slide2bib.JPG, Right knee in extension. Deep dissection. Posterior view.
References
External links
*
Bones of the lower limb
Femur
{{musculoskeletal-stub