Skip to main content

1882ReevesHA

 

Fragments from the book Reeves HA. Human Morphology: A Treatise on Practical and Applied Anatomy. Vol. 1. (1882). The author describes the anatomy of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) and its role. 


Quote pp. 451-452

By arrangement with the dissector of the abdomen, who will be interested in the observation, the student should carefully trephine or chisel out a small piece from the roof of the acetabulum in order to observe what has already been stated with regard to the capsule, and also to note how the ligamentum teres is affected with regard to its tension or laxity in the various movements of the joint. He may also try to inject into the joint some warm tallow so as to note if there be any hernial protrusions or projections of the synovial membrane between the layers of the capsule, or whether the synovial membrane of the joint communicates with any of the neighbouring bursæ, more especially with the psoas bursa.

FIG 336. RIGHT HIP JOINT OPENED.
The femur is pulled out of the acetabulum.


FIG. 337. PELVIC LIGAMENTS. ANTERIOR VIEW, ONE-FOURTH.
The right hip-joint is opened and the femur rotated out.
1. Four lumbar vertebra. 2. Ilium. 2'. Ant. sup. spine. 2". Ant. inf. spine. 3. Ischium. 4. Pubes. 5. Femur. 5'. Head of femur. 5". Femoral neck. 6. Ilio-lumbar lig. 7. Ant. sacro-iliac. 8. Great sciatic. 9. Lesser sciatic. 10. Ant. common lig. 11. Ant. sacro-coccygeal. 12. Subpubic lig. 13. Obturator lig. 14. Symphysis pubis. 15. Ilio-femoral. 16. Pubc-femoral. 17. Capsular. 18. Cotyloid. 19. Lig. teres. 20. Great sacro sciatic foramen. 2'''. Ilio-pectincal line.
 
FIG. 338. LEFT HIP JOINT OPENED THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE ACETABULUM.

FIG. 339. VERTICAL TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH RIGHT HIP JOINT.
A. Internal iliac fossa cut.


Quote pp. 454-457

Dissection. Divide the capsular ligament about half an inch from the acetabulum. Displace the head of the femur, then the cotyloid ligament and the ligamentum teres will become evident. Remove the synovial and areolar tissue, and expose the bifurcated attachment of the ligamentum teres. Clean the transverse ligament which passes over the notch.

The Ligamentum teres, or interarticular, or round ligament, is a triangular band of fibres about an inch in length, and is attached by its apex, which is roundish, to a depression slightly behind and below the centre of the femoral head. Its broad base is flattened, and divides into two bands. of fibres which are attached thus: the upper or anterior piece, called the pubic portion of the ligament, blends with the transverse ligament and is fixed to the pubic edge of the notch; the posterior lower piece, the ischial portion, is inserted behind the transverse ligament into the ischial portion of the cotyloid notch. The strength and thickness of this ligament are variable. It is surrounded by a tubular process of the synovial membrane; this may exist even when the ligament is absent. The round ligament checks external rotation and adduction in the flexed position. It consequently tends to prevent dislocation forwards and outwards. Mr. Savory, in the Lancet of May 23, 1874, says that the ligamentum teres is always tense when standing upright, and is further tightened in standing on one leg, and consequently is of opinion that its main function is to support and distribute the body weight over the whole surface of the acetabulum and head of the femur. Some anatomists say that the ligament is lax when the limb is extended, as then the innominate and femoral attachments are near each other. If the femur be adducted the ischial portion becomes tense because the femoral head is raised. If the joint be flexed the ligament becomes tense, as then the femoral insertion is removed from the acetabular; and the ligament will be most stretched if, in the flexed condition, the femur be adducted or rotated out.

Dissection. Divide the ligamentum teres so that the cavity of the acetabulum and the cotyloid and transverse ligaments may be studied.

The Cotyloid ligament is a narrow fibro-cartilaginous band, which is attached by its base to the acetabular margin, the inequalities of which it fills up, and is prolonged across the notch on its inner and lower side (the ischio-pubic notch), and forms the superficial part of the transverse ligament. It is thinner at its free margin or apex, where it embraces the head of the femur. Its outer surface is in contact with the capsular ligament, and its inner surface is inclined inwards and narrows and deepens the acetabulum.

It is much thicker above than behind, and below than in front, and its fibres are close and compact, and interlace in various directions. The inner part of the capsular ligament often blends with the outer part of the cotyloid.

The Transverse ligament is a strongish narrow band of fibres which crosses the notch at the lower part of the acetabulum (ischio-pubic), and converts it into a foramen. It is continuous at the margins of the notch with the cotyloid, and its superficial part, which is mostly distinct, is a continuation of the cotyloid over the notch. The deeper fibres are special to the ligament. Beneath it the nutrient vessels of the joint pass in and out. The fatty tissue in the joint communicates beneath this ligament with the areolar tissue outside the joint, so that pus formed within the joint may pass down and inwards to the thigh and vice versa.

The Joint Surfaces. It will now be clear that the hip joint is an enarthrodial, or ball-and-socket joint, being the largest and most perfect of its kind in the human body. It is formed by the head of the femur fitting into the cavity of the acetabulum.

The Acetabulum is coated with cartilage over the greater part of its surface excepting where the interarticular mass of fat is lodged (the socalled gland of Havers), and opposite the ischio-pubic notch. The articular surface of the acetabulum is deep above, but narrows towards the notch. The head of the femur, or rather the cartilage covering its head, is in contact with the acetabular cartilage and the interarticular adipose mass. A depression a little behind and below its centre will be noticed on the head of the femur, to this the round ligament is attached; on that part of the acetabulum uncovered by cartilage is a mass of vascular fatty tissue which is thicker near the margin of the cartilage than near the transverse ligament, and which acts as a buffer preventing concussion of the head of the femur against the thin roof of the acetabulum. This is the so-called gland of Havers.

Synovial Membrane. The synovial membrane of this joint is extensive, and like all serous membranes is a closed sac. It lines the capsular ligament and invests the others. If we commence at the margin of the acetabulum it will be seen to be reflected on the inner surfaces of the capsular, and reflected along the neck and over the head of the femur, along the ligamentum teres to the bottom of the acetabulum, and then along the inner side of the cotyloid ligament, over its outer side to the margin of the acetabulum again.

FIG. 340. TRANSVERSE VERTICAL SECTION THROUGH LEFT HIP JOINT.

 
FIG. 341. VERTICAL TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH LEFT HIP.

External links

Reeves HA. Human Morphology: A Treatise on Practical and Applied Anatomy. Vol. 1. London: Smith, Elder, & Company, 1882. [books.google ,  wellcomecollection.org]



Authors & Affiliations

Henry Albert Reeves (1841?-1914) was a surgeon to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, M.R.C.S., F.R.C.S.Ed. [wellcomecollection.org , ncbi.nlm.nih.gov] 

Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, anatomy, role

                                                                     

NB! Fair practice / use: copied for the purposes of criticism, review, comment, research and private study in accordance with Copyright Laws of the US: 17 U.S.C. §107; Copyright Law of the EU: Dir. 2001/29/EC, art.5/3a,d; Copyright Law of the RU: ГК РФ ст.1274/1.1-2,7

MORPHOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

LCF in 2026 (April)

  LCF in 2026 ( April )  (Quotes from articles and books published in  April  2026 mentioning the ligamentum capitis   femoris)     Kamakura, F., Tsuzaki, Y., Matsushita, T., Ishigaki, Y., & Yasuda, G. (2026). A Rare Case of Adult Non-traumatic Recurrent Anterior Hip Joint Dislocation. Cureus , 18 (4).  [i]   сureus.com , assets.cureus.com/pdf Canata, G. L., Casale, V., & Ioppolo, M. (2026). Dance. In   Injury Prevention and Care in Artistic Sports   (pp. 33-42). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.     [ii]     link.springer.com   Tekmen, E., Sever, S. N., Cirak, M. T., Golpinar, M., Canbeyli, I. D., & Turhan, B. (2026). Perspectivas Morfométricas y Morfológicas Basadas en el Sexo de la Cabeza Ósea Femoral y de la Fóvea de la Cabeza Ósea Femoral.   International Journal of Morphology ,   44 (1), 276-282.    [iii]     scielo.cl   ,    scielo.cl/pdf ...

1155Abenezra

  Content [i]   Annotation [ii]   Original text [iii]   English translation [iv]   Source  &  links [v]   Notes [vi]   Authors & Affiliations [vii]   Keywords [i]   Annotation Fragment from the book: Ezra AM. Ibn Ezra’s Commentary on the Pentateuch. Genesis (Bereshit) (1155). The author discusses the interpretation of the term gid ha-nasheh denoting ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in the book of Bereshit. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 1155Abenezra . [ii]   Original text Bereshit 32:33 ( sefaria.org )   [iii]   English translation Genesis 32:33 THE SINEW OF THE THIGH-VEIN. The meaning of the term gid ha-nasheh (the sinew of the thigh-vein) is known from the tradition received and transmitted to us by the Talmudic sages.49 No one but those lacking in understanding and knowledge of nature have any doubt as to its definition. The latter interpret gid (sinew) to refer to the penis and h...

0cent.4Q158.1-2

  Content [i]   Annotation [ii]   Original text [iii]   Translation [iv]   Source  &  links [v]   Notes [vi]   Authors & Affiliations [vii]   Keywords [i]   Annotation Fragments 1-2 of Dead Sea Scroll 4Q158.1-2, which previously contained part of Genesis 32 with a mention of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). We have translated the reconstructed text of M.M. Zahn (2009). The English translation is available at: 0 cent .4 Q 158.1-2 . [ii]   Original text Photocopy   Dead Sea Scroll 4Q158, fragments 1-2 (Plate 138, Frag. 4 B-358482), material – parchment, text – Hebrew, period – Herodian. A screenshot of the original from The Leon Levy dead sea scrolls Digital Library collection, © 2025 Israel Antiquities Authority  deadseascrolls.org.il   (Fair use for criticism, study and comparison; sharpening, color correction, and captions done by us.).   Transcription Dead Sea Scroll 4Q158, fragments 1-2, lines 11...

Morphology and Histology of LCF

  Version : 20240418 MORPHOLOGY OF LCF 1. Individual fibers of stroma 2. Portions of stroma 3. Bundles of stroma portions 4. Entire stroma 5. Leg (attaching part of the ligament) 6. Synovial membrane 7. Synovial fold 8. Arterial vessels 9. Venous vessels 10. Capillary bed 11. Lymphatic vessels 12. Nerves 13. Receptors 14. Adipose tissue 15. Loose connective tissue 16. Bone tissue (in the area of attachment) 17. Fibrous tissue (in the area of attachment) 18. Cartilage tissue (in the area of attachment)   HISTOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LCF ATTACHMENT SITES Bone tissue 1. Femur 2. Pelvic bone   Cartilage tissue 1. Femoral head (children, edges of the fovea capitis femoris in adults) 2. Acetabular cavity (children)   Fibrous tissue 1. Transverse acetabular ligament 2. Obturator membrane 3. Periosteum of the pelvic bones 4. Joint capsule   Keywords: ligamentum capitis femoris, ligament of head o...

1614PagniniS

  Content [i]   Annotation [ii]   Original text (in  Latin) [iii]   English translation [iv]   Source  &  links [v]   Notes [vi]   Authors & Affiliations [vii]   Keywords [i]   Annotation Fragment from the book: Pagnini S. Thesaurus linguae sanctae, sive lexicon hebraicum (1614, Vol. 1). The author examines the translation into Latin of the term denoting ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in Hebrew biblical texts. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 1614PagniniS . [ii]   Original text (in   Latin) Quote, p. 392 ניר  est Neruus Genesis 32.32 Idcirco non comedent (pro, comedunt) filij Israel  ניר   את   neruum. Et Iesah 48.4  וניד  & nerruus serreus ceruix tua: vel, secundum Rab. Dair. & virga ferrea: sic appellate, quòd nerui sint ceruice  בניד  in neruo Genes. 32.32. Iech 37.6. Et dabo super vos  צירים  neruos. Ijob 10. II ossibusq;...

1822KühnCG

  Fragment from the book Kühn CG. Clavdii Galeni Opera omnia (1822). Galen points out the high strength of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF), its shape, and also notes the attachment areas and connecting function. See our commentary at the link: 1822KühnCG [Rus], and 2020ArkhipovSV_ProlyginaIV . Quote [Grc] Περι   χρειας   των   εν   ανθρωπου   ςωματι   μοριων .  Βιβλιον  M. K εφ .  ε ʹ . και σύνδεσμον δε στρογγύλον ,  ισχυρότατον ,  εκ της κεφαλής του μηρού μέση τη κοτύλη συναπτόμενον ,  εν μεν τώ κατ '  ισχίον άρθρω διά την αυτήν αἰτίαν εποίησεν ή φύσις ,  ου μήν ού γε το κατ '  ώμον ,  εις ετοιμότητα κινήσεως πολυειδούς παντοίως αυτό παρασκευάζουσα . (original source: 1822KühnCG, pp. 17-18) [Lat] De usu partium corporis humani. Liber XII. Cap. V. Ligamentum praeterea teres et idem fortissimum ex femoris capite mediae ipsi cotylae connexum in ischii articulo ob eandem causam natura effecit; non ta...

1625VermiglioG

  Vermiglio G., painting, Jacob wrestling with the angel (ca. 1625) .   Depicting the circumstances and mechanism of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) injury based on the description in the Book of Genesis: 25 And Ja cob wa s left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 26 And when he saw that he could not pre vail against him, he struck against the hollow of his thigh ; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was put out of joint, as he was wrestling with him. … 33 Therefore do the children of Israel not eat the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day; because he struck against the hollow of Jacob's thigh on the sinew that shrank.  ( 1922LeeserI , Genesis (Bereshit) 32:25-26,33) More about the plot in our work:  Ninth month, eleventh day   ( 2024 АрхиповСВ. Девятый месяц, одиннадцатый день ).     Giuseppe Vermiglio  – Jacob Wrestling with the Angel (ca. 1625); original in the  brid...

Tweet of April 9, 2026

  A study on the dating and origin of the book of Genesis. Arkhipov SV. 50 Tables of Evidence for the Composition of Genesis in Late Second Intermediate Period Egypt: The Protograph Before the Oral Tradition. Joensuu : Author's Edition, 2026. http://books.google.com/books/about?id=Dw7PEQAAQBAJ Tweet of April 9, 2026 #Bible #Genesis   BLOG CONTENT TWITTER OR X                                                                            

1531SteucoA

   Content [i]   Annotation [ii]   Original text (in  Latin) [iii]   English translation [iv]   Source  &  links [v]   Notes [vi]   Authors & Affiliations [vii]   Keywords [i]   Annotation Fragments from the book: Steuco A . Augustini Steuchi Eugubini Veteris Testamenti ad ueritatem Hebraicam recognitio (1531). The author discusses the term ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in the book of Genesis and notes that this structure serves a supporting and motor function and, when injured, causes lameness. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 1531SteucoA . [ii]   Original text (in   Latin) Quote p. 308 Tetigit neruum fœmoris כַּף יְרֵבוּ id est Latitudinem coxæ asseruntqs. Hebræi significare hoc loco latum os coxæ: ut ab Auen Esdra quoqs annotatu est : in ea parte neruus coxæ est : at qs hoc est quòd post neruū arefactum claudicabat Iacob. Nõ enim neruus hoc loco, membrű genitale significat: q...

Online Journal «ABOUT ROUND LIGAMENT OF FEMUR», April 2026

The journal is dedicated to the  ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF)  and related topics   About the Journal   »»»                                                                                . The online journal  « About Round Ligament of  Femur »   was created based on the scientific blog of the same name. The resource is the English-language part of the project:  ONLINE JOURNAL:  Ligamentum capitis femoris .   Updates:  As new materials are prepared. Mission :   Popularization and preservation of knowledge about LCF, as well as promoting its practical application. Main goal:  Improvement of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of injuries and diseases of the hip joint. Publisher:  Arkhipov S.V., independent re...