Chapter 8 - The Lower Limb

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to describe the lower limb using pictures. It focuses on explaining the femur, the patella, the tibia, the fibula, and the foot. It begins with a discussion on the femur. The femur is the largest of the long bones and may be confused with any of the other long bones. The greater trochanter assumes a boomerang-shaped appearance by five to six years, with the angle on its lateral side. The distal femoral epiphysis is larger than the proximal tibial epiphysis. The patella is a biconvex disc with a slightly pointed apex and two surfaces composed of porous bone, in early development. In early adolescence, the superior part of the lateral border is often flat. The perinatal tibia is more robust than the radius, ulna, and fibula, shorter than the femur and similar in length to the humerus. The proximal tibia is identifiable during the second year but may be confused with the distal femoral epiphysis. The distal epiphysis becomes distinct around three to four years of age. The perinatal fibula is shorter and less robust than the humerus, femur, and tibia. It is similar in length to the ulna; however, the ulna is more bulky and displays its characteristic proximal end. It is straight, narrow, and relatively featureless. This chapter then turns to the discussion of the foot explaining the regional identification and the intraregional identification alongwith the identification of its various components. This chapter also has an account on metrics, appearance times, and union times, which are explained with the help of various references.