The superior genicular arteries (superior articular arteries), two in number, arise one on either side of the

popliteal artery The popliteal artery is a deeply placed continuation of the femoral artery opening in the distal portion of the adductor magnus muscle. It courses through the popliteal fossa and ends at the lower border of the popliteus muscle, where it branche ...

, and wind around the

femur The femur (; ), or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates wit ...

immediately above its condyles to the front of the

knee-joint In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest joint in the h ...

. The

medial superior genicular artery The medial superior genicular, a branch of the popliteal artery, runs in front of the Semimembranosus and Semitendinosus, above the medial head of the Gastrocnemius, and passes beneath the tendon of the Adductor magnus. It divides into two branche ...

is on the inside of the knee and the

lateral superior genicular artery The lateral superior genicular artery is a branch of the popliteal artery that supplies a portion of the knee joint. Course It passes above the lateral condyle of the femur, beneath the tendon of the Biceps femoris. Branching It divides into a ...

is on the outside.

Gallery

File:Thigh arteries schema.svg

References

Arteries of the lower limb {{Portal bar, Anatomy

Gallery

See also

References