The appendicular skeleton consists of
pelvic girdle
pectoral girdle
The pelvic girdle attaches
the lower limbs to the body trunk
functions of the pelvic girdle
attaches the lower limbs to the axial skeleton via strong ligaments
transmits the weight of the upper body to the lower limbs
support of pelvic organs
Compared to the pectoral girdle, the pelvic girdle
provides LESS mobility but MORE stability
the coxal bone consists of 3 fused bones
ilium
ischium
pubis
image of the coxal bone (lateral view)
image of the coxal bone (medial view)
differentiate between male vs. female pelvis
image of the femur
The major bone of the thigh is
the femur
The patella covers the articulation between
the thigh and the leg
2 main bones of the leg
tibia
fibula
The tibia and fibula are connected via
the interosseous membrane
tibia
the medical leg bone
transmits weight from the femur to the foot
fibula
not weight bearing
no articulation with the femur
several muscles within the lower limb originate from the fibula
image of the tibia & fibula
3 main categories of bones in the foot
tarsus
metatarsals
phalanges
tarsus
weight bearing bones: talus & calcaneus
other bones include the cuboid, navicular, and medial/intermediate/lateral cuneiform bones
metatarsals
5 bones numbered from 1 to 5 from the hallux to the little toe
“ball of the foot” is formed by enlarged head of metatarsal 1
phalanges
14 bones of the toes
digit 1 (hallux) only has 2 bones -- no middle phalanx is present !
digits 2-5 have 3 bones -- proximal, middle, and distal phalanx
image of the bones in the foot