LINEA ASPERA

The 'linea aspera' is a ridge of roughened surface on the posterior aspect of the femur, to which are attached muscles and intermuscular septa.
Its margins diverge above and below.
The linea aspera is a prominent longitudinal ridge or crest, on the middle third of the bone, presenting a medial and a lateral lip, and a narrow rough, intermediate line. It is an important insertion point for the adductors and the intermuscular septa that divides the thigh into three compartments. The tension generated by muscle attached to the bones is responsible for the formation of the ridges.

Contents

Ridges

Above

Below

Muscles

Additional images

External links

Ridges

Above

Above, the linea aspera is prolonged by three ridges.

★ The 'lateral ridge' is very rough, and runs almost vertically upward to the base of the greater trochanter. It is termed the gluteal tuberosity, and gives attachment to part of the Glutæus maximus: its upper part is often elongated into a roughened crest, on which a more or less well-marked, rounded tubercle, the third trochanter, is occasionally developed.

★ The 'intermediate ridge' or pectineal line is continued to the base of the lesser trochanter and gives attachment to the Pectineus;

★ the 'medial ridge' is lost in the intertrochanteric line; between the intermediate and medial ridges a portion of the Iliacus is inserted.

Below

Below, the linea aspera is prolonged into two ridges, enclosing between them a triangular area, the ''popliteal surface'', upon which the popliteal artery rests.

★ Of these two ridges, the 'lateral' is the more prominent, and descends to the summit of the lateral condyle.

★ The 'medial' is less marked, especially at its upper part, where it is crossed by the femoral artery. It ends below at the summit of the medial condyle, in a small tubercle, the adductor tubercle, which affords insertion to the tendon of the Adductor magnus.

Muscles

★ From the ''medial lip'' of the linea aspera and its prolongations above and below, the Vastus medialis arises.

★ From the ''lateral lip'' and its upward prolongation, the Vastus lateralis takes origin.

★ The Adductor magnus is inserted ''into the linea aspera'', and to its lateral prolongation above, and its medial prolongation below.

★ ''Between the Vastus lateralis and the Adductor magnus'' two muscles are ''attached'':

★
★ the Gluteus maximus inserted above,

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★ and the short head of the Biceps femoris arising below.

★ ''Between the Adductor magnus and the Vastus medialis'' four muscles are ''inserted'':

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★ the Iliacus and Pectineus above;

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★ the Adductor brevis and Adductor longus below.
The linea aspera is perforated a little below its center by the ''nutrient canal'', which is directed obliquely upward.

Additional images

External links

★ University of Washington

★

★ Diagram at winona.edu