Puzzle Piece 7: Skeletal System - Lower Appendicular Skeleton

What is the total number of bones in the appendicular skeleton?

126 bones.

What are the two main groups of the appendicular skeleton?

Bones making up the limbs (upper limb and lower limb) and bones attaching the limbs to the axial skeleton (pectoral girdle and pelvic girdle).

What bones make up the upper limb?

Bones in the arm, forearm, and hand.

What bones make up the lower limb?

Bones in the thigh, leg, and foot.

What is the thigh defined as in relation to the knee and hip?

The thigh is located between the hip and the knee and consists of the femur.

What bones comprise the leg?

The fibula and tibia.

What bones are found in the foot?

Tarsal bones, metatarsal bones, and phalanges.

What is the patella and where is it located?

The patella is the largest sesamoid bone in the body, located at the front of the knee.

What is the femur known for in the lower limb?

The femur is the longest and largest bone in the lower limb.

What are the key features of the proximal end of the femur?

Head, neck, greater trochanter, and lesser trochanter.

What is the gluteal tuberosity and where is it located?

The gluteal tuberosity is located in the posterior aspect of the femur and is the attachment site for the gluteus maximus muscle.

What does the term 'linea aspera' refer to?

It refers to a rough line located in the posterior aspect of the femur, serving as a site for muscle attachment.

What are the features of the distal end of the femur?

Medial condyle, lateral condyle, intercondylar fossa, medial epicondyle, lateral epicondyle, and patellar surface.

What is the function of the medial and lateral condyles of the femur?

They are smooth, rounded surfaces that articulate with the tibia.

What is the intercondylar fossa?

A fossa located in the posterior aspect of the femur, situated between the medial and lateral condyles.

What is the tibia commonly referred to as?

The shin bone.

What is the position of the tibia in relation to the fibula?

The tibia is the medial bone in the leg, while the fibula is the most lateral bone.

What are the key features of the proximal end of the tibia?

Medial condyle, lateral condyle, and tibial tuberosity.

What is the anterior tibial margin?

It is the shaft feature of the tibia.

What is the distal end feature of the tibia?

Medial malleolus.

What does the medial condyle of the tibia articulate with?

It articulates with the medial condyle of the femur.

What is the lateral condyle of the tibia?

A smooth surface that articulates with the lateral condyle of the femur.

What is the tibial tuberosity?

A rough bump on the anterior aspect of the tibia where the quadriceps femoris tendon attaches.

How can you locate the tibial tuberosity?

By touching the top anterior aspect of your leg, you can feel the bump that is the tibial tuberosity.

How can you locate the anterior tibial margin?

By following the tibial tuberosity downwards, you can feel the edge in the anterior aspect of the tibia.

What is the medial malleolus?

A protuberance in the distal medial aspect of the tibia.

How can you locate the medial malleolus?

By moving your fingers medially from the anterior tibial margin, you will feel the bump on the medial aspect of your ankle.

What is the lateral malleolus?

A bony feature in the distal end of the fibula, located on the lateral side of the ankle.

How can you determine if you are looking at the right or left tibia?

Place the anterior tibial margin anteriorly and the medial malleolus medially.

What are the two condyles of the tibia?

The medial condyle and the lateral condyle.

What is the fibula?

The lateral bone in the leg.

What are the features of the fibula?

Proximal end (Head) articulates with the tibia; distal end (Lateral malleolus) is a protuberance.

What is the role of the interosseous membrane?

It is located between the shafts of the tibia and fibula, providing stability.

What are the proximal and distal tibiofibular joints?

Proximal joint: head of the fibula articulates with the tibia; Distal joint: distal end of the fibula articulates with the tibia.

What bones make up the ankle joint?

The tibia, fibula, and talus.

How does the distal end of the tibia articulate in the ankle joint?

It articulates with the talus.

How does the distal end of the fibula articulate in the ankle joint?

It also articulates with the talus.

What are the medial and lateral bumps on the sides of the ankle?

The medial malleolus of the tibia and the lateral malleolus of the fibula.

What joints form the knee joint?

The Patellofemoral joint and the Tibiofemoral joint.

What is the Patellofemoral joint?

The joint between the patella and the femur.

What is the Tibiofemoral joint?

The joint between the femur and the tibia.

How do the medial and lateral condyles of the femur articulate with the tibia?

The medial condyle of the femur articulates with the medial condyle of the tibia, and the lateral condyle of the femur articulates with the lateral condyle of the tibia.

What three bones make up the knee joint?

The femur, the tibia, and the patella.

What are the functions of the menisci in the knee joint?

They provide padding between the femur and tibia, fill the gap between the condyles of the femur and tibia, and provide congruence between the articulating surfaces.

Which ligaments stabilize the knee joint?

The patellar ligament, Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), Medial collateral ligament (MCL), and Lateral collateral ligament (LCL).

What is the role of the patellar ligament?

It stabilizes the patella and prevents displacement, running from the patella to the tibial tuberosity.

What does the Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) prevent?

It prevents lateral displacement of the knee.

What does the Medial collateral ligament (MCL) prevent?

It prevents medial displacement of the knee.

What is the function of the Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)?

It prevents the tibia from moving too far forward in relation to the femur.

What is the function of the Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)?

It prevents the tibia from moving too far backward in relation to the femur.

Which ligament is stronger, the ACL or the PCL?

The PCL is stronger than the ACL.

How are the cruciate ligaments named?

They are named according to the part of the tibia they attach to.

What mnemonic helps remember the tarsal bones?

"Milk No Thanks Cow" for Medial cuneiform, Intermediate cuneiform, Lateral cuneiform, Navicular, Talus, and Cuboid.

What are the three types of bones in the foot?

Tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges.

How many tarsal bones are there?

6 short bones.

How many metatarsal bones are there?

5 long bones.

How many phalanges are there in the foot?

14 long bones.

What is the significance of the ACL and PCL crossing each other?

The ACL prevents the tibia from moving too far forward and keeps the femur from moving too far backward, while the PCL prevents the tibia from moving too far backward and keeps the femur from moving too far forward.

Why are ACL injuries more common than PCL injuries?

The ACL is weaker than the PCL, making it more susceptible to injury.

What does the PCL help stabilize during activities?

It is crucial for stability, particularly when walking downhill or downstairs.

What is a witty tip to remember the difference between carpals and tarsals?

CARpals are in your hand because you drive your CAR with your hands; Tarsals are in your foot because they are close to your Toes.

What is the relationship between the femur and tibia in terms of ACL and PCL function?

The ACL and PCL both prevent excessive movement of the femur in relation to the tibia.

What is the anatomical location of the LCL?

It is found in the lateral aspect of the knee joint and connects the femur to the fibula.

What is the anatomical location of the MCL?

It is found in the medial aspect of the knee joint and connects the femur to the tibia.

What mnemonic helps remember the tarsal bones including the Navicular and Cuboid?

The Witty Mnemonic 2: 'The Navy boat goes over the 3 Cs' (3 seas).

Which tarsal bone goes over the three cuneiforms?

The Navicular.

What is the most lateral tarsal bone?

The Cuboid.

Which bones articulate to form the ankle joint?

The Talus articulates with the tibia and fibula.

What is the largest tarsal bone and its common name?

The Calcaneus, commonly known as the heel bone.

How does the calcaneus support the body?

It supports body weight during standing, walking, and running activities.

How many metatarsal bones are there and how are they numbered?

There are five metatarsal bones numbered one to five starting with the big toe (hallux) side.

What is the position of Metatarsal I?

Proximal to the hallux.

What is the structure of phalanges in the toes?

Each foot has 14 phalanges: 2 in the big toe (hallux) and 3 in each of the other toes.

What are the three types of phalanges?

Distal phalanx, Proximal phalanx, and Middle phalanx.

Which toes have only proximal and distal phalanges?

The big toe (hallux).

What is the arrangement of phalanges in the other toes?

They have proximal phalanx, middle phalanx, and distal phalanx.

What is the function of the pelvic girdle?

It attaches the lower limbs to the axial skeleton.

What is the os coxa commonly known as?

The hip bone.

What three bones fuse to form the os coxa?

The ilium, ischium, and pubis.

What is a shared feature of the ilium, ischium, and pubis?

The Acetabulum, which articulates with the head of the femur.

What are the exclusive features of the ilium?

Iliac crest, iliac fossa, and greater sciatic notch.

What features belong exclusively to the ischium?

Ischial spine, ischial tuberosity, and lesser sciatic notch.

What feature belongs exclusively to the pubis?

Articular surface that unites the right and left pubic bones via the pubic symphysis.

What feature is shared by the ischium and pubis?

Obturator foramen.

How can you identify the ilium, ischium, and pubis in the os coxa?

Hold the bone with the longest side vertical and make a letter 'T' within the acetabulum.

What does the top part of the 'T' represent in the os coxa?

The ilium.

What does the posterior side of the 'T' represent in the os coxa?

The ischium.

What does the anterior side of the 'T' represent in the os coxa?

The pubis.

What are the three bones that make up the os coxa?

The ilium, ischium, and pubis.

How can you identify the posterior and anterior sides of the os coxa?

The ischial spine, resembling the spine of a rose, indicates the posterior side (ischium), while the other side is the pubis.

What is the function of the ischial tuberosity?

It serves as a rough spot for sitting, indicating its posterior position.

What are the greater and lesser sciatic notches?

The lesser sciatic notch is smaller and part of the ischium, while the greater sciatic notch is larger and part of the ilium.

What is the obturator foramen?

A hole between the ischium and pubis through which the obturator nerve passes.

What type of joint is the hip joint?

The hip joint is a ball and socket joint.

What structure maintains hip stability in the hip joint?

The acetabular labrum, a fibrocartilage lip.

What surrounds the neck of the femur in the hip joint?

The annular ligament or Zona orbicularis.

What connects the os coxa to the base of the neck of the femur?

Multiple ligaments contribute to the strength and stability of the hip joint.

What is the sacroiliac joint?

The joint between the ilium and the sacrum, connecting the os coxa to the axial skeleton.

How do the right and left pelvic girdles attach to the sacrum?

Each pelvic girdle attaches to the sacrum via the sacroiliac joint on its respective side.

What bones make up the pelvis?

The pelvis is formed by two os coxa bones, one sacrum, and one coccyx.