Question

Name the bones of the pelvic girdle and lower limb. (pages \(243-44)\)

Short answer

The pelvic girdle consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The lower limb includes the femur in the thigh, patella in the knee, tibia and fibula in the leg, 7 tarsal bones (talus, calcaneus, navicular, medial cuneiform, intermediate cuneiform, lateral cuneiform, and cuboid) in the ankle, and metatarsals and phalanges in the foot.

Step-by-step solution

Pelvic Girdle Bones

The pelvic girdle consists of two hip bones (also called coxal bones), which meet at the front (anteriorly) at the pubic symphysis and at the back (posteriorly) with the sacrum, forming a ring-like structure known as the pelvic ring or bony pelvis. 1. Ilium: The largest and most superior of the three bones of the hip bones. It articulates with the sacrum to form the sacroiliac joint. 2. Ischium: The posteroinferior part of the hip bone that bears the body's weight when sitting. 3. Pubis: The anterior and inferior part of the hip bone that meets with the opposite pubic bone at the pubic symphysis.

Lower Limb Bones

The lower limb consists of the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges. These bones can be further classified into the thigh, knee, leg, ankle, and foot.

Thigh

1. Femur: The single bone of the thigh, which is the longest, heaviest, and strongest bone in the human body. It articulates with the hip bone at the acetabulum to form the hip joint and with the tibia at the knee joint.

Knee

1. Patella: Also known as the kneecap, it is a small, triangular sesamoid bone that protects the knee joint and improves the mechanical efficiency of the quadriceps muscle.

Leg

The leg is the area between the knee and ankle and contains two bones: 1. Tibia: The larger, weight-bearing bone of the leg, also known as the shinbone. It articulates with the femur at the knee joint and with the talus at the ankle joint. 2. Fibula: The thinner and more lateral bone of the leg that does not bear weight. It articulates with the tibia at the proximal and distal ends, helping to stabilize the ankle joint.

Ankle

The ankle consists of 7 tarsal bones, which are irregularly shaped bones that make up the posterior part of the foot: 1. Talus: The most superior tarsal bone that articulates with the tibia and fibula at the ankle joint. 2. Calcaneus: Also known as the heel bone, it is the largest tarsal bone and located beneath the talus. 3. Navicular: A boat-shaped bone located in front of the talus. 4. Medial cuneiform: The first of three cuneiform bones located between the navicular and first metatarsal. 5. Intermediate cuneiform: The second cuneiform bone located between the navicular and second metatarsal. 6. Lateral cuneiform: The third cuneiform bone located between the navicular and third metatarsal. 7. Cuboid: A cube-shaped bone located in front of the calcaneus and underneath the fourth and fifth metatarsals.

Foot

The foot contains metatarsals and phalanges: 1. Metatarsals: Five long bones located in the midfoot, numbered I to V from the medial side (big toe) to the lateral side (little toe). 2. Phalanges: The bones of the toes, with the big toe (hallux) containing two phalanges (proximal and distal) and the other four toes containing three phalanges each (proximal, middle, and distal).