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

1605BauhinC

  Fragment from the book Bauhin C. Theatrum anatomicum (1605). The author writes about the attachment, function, possible elongation and damage of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). Lameness after dislocation is mentioned and its cause is explained. In the margins of the page are references to the works of other authors Vesalius , Laurens , Arch ang ( Archangelo Piccolomini ??? ) . Quote p. 1244. Liber IV. DE LIGAMENTIS OSSIS ILII & sacri et que in toto pede habentur. CAP. XXXIX. Femur, coxendicis articulo duplici ligamento nectitur; altero communi membrane, articulum orbiculatim ambit, quod Græci [ischos], totius articuli nomine vocarunt; quod cætera, articulos ambientia crassitie, duritie, & robore su perat, cum articulus hic corpus totum sustinere & motus validos perferre debuerit. Hoc articulo & femoris ceruici accumbit & solum radici magni processus orbiculatim adnascitur, quo motus capitis ipsius femoris non impediantur. Alterum ipsius ligamentum teres...

LCF in 2026 (July)

    LCF in 2026 (July )  (Quotes from articles and books published in July   2026 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris)     Çetik, R. M., Bakırcıoğlu, S., Büyükdoğan, K., Çağlar, Ö., Atay, Ö. A., & Atilla, B. (2026). Cam-type femoro-acetabular impingement: Mid-term functional results and joint awareness of arthroscopic, mini-open and surgical dislocation techniques. Acta Medica , 57 (2), 123-131.   [i]    actamedica.org   Khan, M. Y., Khan, R., Shaikh, H., Persaud, N. A., Rama, S., & Khan, Y. (2026). Evolution of Hip Arthroscopy in Modern Orthopedic Practice. Cureus , 18 (6).   [ii]   cureus.com   Sanders, W. J., Ji, X. P., & Jablonski, N. G. (2026). New remains of Stegodon zhaotongensis (Proboscidea, Stegodontidae) from the Late Miocene site of Shuitangba, Yunnan Province, China. Journal of Mammalian Evolution , 33 (3), 33.   [iii]   link.springer.com   Randelli, F. (2026...

Great Compilation. Chapter 41

  English version of the article:  Архипов СВ. Книга Берешит как великая компиляция текстов и смыслов Второго переходного периода Египта: пилотная культурологическая, медицинская, археологическая и текстологическая экспертиза преданий против традиционной атрибуции. Введение.  О круглой связке бедра . 14.02.2026 .  The text in Russian is available at the following link:  2026АрхиповСВ .    The Book of Genesis as a Great Compilation of Texts and Meanings from the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt: A Pilot Culturological, Medical, Archaeological, and Textological Examination of the Legends versus Traditional Attribution.  Chapter 41   By Sergey V. Arkhipov, MD, PhD   CONTENT [i]   Abstract [ii]   Book of Genesis. Chapter 41 Analysis [iii]   Notes to Chapter 41 [iv]   AI Agent's Conclusion [v]   Content [vi]   External links [vii]   Application [i]   Abstract The Book of Genesis (Bereshith) was compo...

911-612bcK2453

  Fragment of the text of clay tablet K 2453 (Nineveh; ca. 911-612 BC; maybe 5000-4000 BC). A recommendation for a ritual or magical act may mention the sheep's ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). See our commentary at the link: 911-612bcK2453 [Rus]. Quote [Akk] Clay tablet К 2453 (original source: photo  by Ashurbanipal Library Project   cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de , text: 1906 ThompsonRC , plate. 12). Translation [Eng] Clay tablet К 2453 (reverse ) 42. (if a man’s leg is affected) SA ÚR UDU.NITÁ ša GÙB teleqqe you take the sinew from the left thigh of a sheep ( original source: 1992RothMT , p. 312). ( original source:  Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative   cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de )  External links Clay tablet; CT 23, pl. 05-14, K 02453 + (P365736). Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik), Neo-Assyrian period (ca. 911-612 BC). [ cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de , ebl.lmu.de ] Thompson RC. Cuneiform Texts. Cuneiform Texts from Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum.  P...

Vertebrates

VERTEBRATES According to the molecular clock, a specific method for dating phylogenetic events, vertebrates (Vertebrata) separated from arthropods (Arthropoda) 976±97 Ma (2004HedgesSB_ShoeJL). The latter began to dominate in species diversity with the Cambrian burst of radiation, which occurred 520 Ma (2010EdgecombeGD). This ratio in the fauna of the Earth is still preserved. Approximately 525 Ma, the phylum Chordates separated from the group of bilaterally symmetrical animals (1995ChenJY_ZhouGQ). In turn, the evolution of chordate organisms led to the formation of the first vertebrates at least 500 Ma, from which the jawed mouths 450-400 Ma descended, becoming the ancestors of the placoderms or "armored" fish (Placodermi) (1979 НаумовНП _ КарташевНН ). Sculptural reconstruction of the placoderm Coccosteus from the order Arthrodires, Middle Devonian, 393.3-382.7  Ma ; exposition of the Orlov Paleontological Museum (Moscow); photo by the author. The first cartilaginou...

80-58bcApollonius Citiensis

  Fragment from the treatise Apollonius Citiensis Commentary on the Hippocrates’ book On Joints ( Περὶ αρθρων π ραγματεὶα , 80-58 BC). The author notes the possibility of damage to the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) during hip dislocation. See our commentary at the link: 80-58bcApollonius Citiensis [Rus], and  2020ArkhipovSV_ProlyginaIV . Quote. [Grc] Περὶ αρθρων π ραγματεὶα . Βιβλιον γ ʹ . (original source:  1965KolleschJ_KudlienF, pp. 86, 88) Translation [Eng] Commentary On Joints ( Commentary on the Hippocrates’ book On Joints). Book 3. If the dislocated and displaced hip could not remain in place, then the physician [Hippocrates] would have clearly indicated the incurability of this case, so that we would not be led astray. Don't those who hold the opposite opinion know about the nature of joints, ligaments and the teachings about these things in general? After all, the physician considered the cause of the mild or, on the contrary, complex displacement and ...

1990HarveyB

  Harvey B, sculpture, Jacob wrestling with the angel (ca. 1990).   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 was 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 ( 2024АрхиповСВ. Девятый месяц, одиннадцатый день ). Bessie Harvey – tree root sculpture Jacob Wres tling with the Angel (ca. 1990); original in the high.org collection (Fair...

Human LCF intersection

HUMAN LCF INTERSECTION In the south of China, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the archaeological Neolithic site of Dingsishan was investigated. Burials of 355 people were found in this place. The authors of the article (2024YeZ_LiFJ) identified 91 skeletons with traces of manipulations with the remains. They are attributed to burials of the Dingsishan III-IV phase, aged 8.0-4.5 thousand years. 13 notches were found on the proximal part of various femurs. « Cutmarks on the femoral head, neck and intertrochanteric line, as well as along the medial linea aspera of the femoral shaft, suggest that soft tissue around the hip, including the iliofemoral ligament and the iliacus and adductor muscles, was severed to disarticulate the joint.» This and other postmortem bone injuries «... suggests that corpse treatment at Dingsishan included disarticulation » (2024YeZ_LiFJ).  Figure 4 of the cited article shows the distribution and direction of cutmarks on human skeletons from Dingx...

Inferior Portal. Part 1.

  Original in Russian is available at the link:  Нижний портал. Часть 1.  below is a machine translation edited by a non-native speaker  ( version dated 03/02/2025 ) .     INFERIOR PORTAL FOR HIP ARTHROSCOPY: A PILOT STUDY PART 1. Background and Hypothesis Arkhipov S.V., Independent Researcher, Joensuu, Finland Abstract: The article presents, theoretically and graphically substantiates the technique of a new arthroscopic approach to the central compartment of the hip joint. It is proposed to introduce the optical system of the arthroscope from below through the acetabular notch without traction. Similar approaches were used for puncture, arthroscopy, arthrography, and arthrotomy of the hip joint. Diagnostics using the described lower portal will exclude complications caused by distraction of the leg and compression of the perineal support during surgery.   CONTENTS PART 1. Background and Hypothesis [1] . Introduction [2] . Passage through t...

THE OLDEST LCF

  The very first four-legged animal, the lobe-finned fish Tiktaalik roseae, lived about 375 million years ago. Based on indirect evidence (paired notches of the acetabulum), we believe that in the hip joint it had two ligaments of the head of femur, in Latin called ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). A similar anatomy of the hip joint is preserved in the salamander. Illustration Tiktaalik roseae is the first animal to have a LCF A) 3D model of the right pelvic bone of the fish Tiktaalik roseae (fragment of a screenshot:  media.hhmi.org ), where we depicted the dissected anterior LCF (lig.cap.fem.ant.) and posterior LCF (lig.cap.fem.post.), that are attached to the corresponding notches of the acetabulum ( inc.ac.ant. & inc.ac.post.).  Below the pelvis is a photograph of our model of the Tiktaalik roseae femur with fragments of two LCFs (a fossil femur of Tiktaalik roseae has not yet been discovered). B) View of a salamander femur with a proximal fragment of the ilia...