1794(a)SommerringT

Fragments from the book Soemmerring ST. De Corporis Humani Fabrica. T.1. (1794). The author describes the attachment and role ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). Cases of its absence are mentioned, in particular in osteoarthritis. We have added links to quotations about LCF available on our resource, as well as to publications posted on the Internet. There is a known version of the treatise in German: 1791SoemmerringST.

Quote p. 301

§. CCCCXXVIII.

…Cavum acetabuli hemisphaericum non ubique cartilagine obducitur, sed ad tertiam fere partem nudum conspicitur, ideoque pars, cartilaginoso tegmine obducta, lunatam figuram refert. Mediae huius regionis parti impressio aspera imponitur, quae ligamentum, quod caput ossis femoris devincit, excipit. Reliquam cavi acetabuli partem, cartilagine nudam, tenuem, non nihil planiorem pinguedo explet.

Quote p. 373

§. DXXXXIIII.

…Caput cartilagine obductum, hemisphaerio non nihil maius, ambitum undulatum habet, ita, ut in superiore et posteriore parte in angulum porrigatur, ideoque ambitui acetabuli respondeat. In media fere capitis parte, non nihil tamen inferiora et interiora versus, aspera, cartilaginoso tegmine nudata fovea, ligamentum teres excipiens, ponitur. Media hemisphaerii pars axin colli tangit.

Quote pp. 377-378

§. DLII.

Os femoris inter omnia artuum inferiorum ossa plurimis varietatibus subiectum videtur. Nonnumquam valde longum est, sed tenue; nonnumquam vero longum et plenum simul. Rarissime fovea ligamenti teretis abest. *)

*) GENGA Anatom. chir. Romae 1687. SALZMANN Decas Obs. anat. Arg. 1725. 4. recus. in HALLERI Diss. select. T. VI. p. 694. In femoribus arthritide tactis, non raro ligamentum teres, eiusque vestigium in osse perditur, ut saepius observavi. cfr. BLUMENBACH medicinische Bibliothek, 3 Band.

Translation

[Eng]

Quote p. 301

§. CCCCXXVIII.

... The cavity of the acetabulum has a hemispherical shape and is not covered with cartilage everywhere; about a third of it remains bare, so the part covered with cartilage has a crescent shape. In the central part of this area is a rough depression that receives the ligament that binds the head of the femur. The rest of the acetabulum cavity, not covered by cartilage, is filled with a thin layer of fat, which slightly smoothes the surface.

Quote p. 373

§. DXXXXIII.

... The head of the femur, covered with cartilage, is slightly larger than a hemisphere and has a wavy edge, so that in the upper and posterior parts it forms an angle that corresponds to the contour of the acetabulum. Almost in the center of the head, but somewhat lower and closer to the inside, there is a rough fossa, not covered with cartilage, to which the round ligament is attached. The central part of the hemisphere touches the axis of the femoral neck.

Quote pp. 377-378

§. DLII.

Of all the bones of the lower extremities, the femur is subject to the greatest number of variations. Sometimes it is very long, but thin; sometimes, on the contrary, it is long and thick at the same time. Very rarely the fossa for the round ligament is missing. *)

*) GENGA Anatom. chir. Romae 1687. SALZMANN Decas Obs. anat. Arg. 1725. 4. recus. in HALLERI Diss. select. T.VI. p. 694. In femurs affected by arthritis, the round ligament and its trace on the bone are often lost, as I have repeatedly observed. see also BLUMENBACH medicinische Bibliothek, 3 Band.

External links

Soemmerring ST. De Corporis Humani Fabrica. Tomus Primus, De Ossibus. Traiecti Ad Moenum: Sumtibus Varrentrappii Et Wenneri, 1794. [digitale-sammlungen.de]

Soemmerring ST. Vom Bau des menschlichen Körpers. Bd. 1. Knochenlehre. Frankfurt am Main: bey Varrentrapp und Wenner, 1791. [digitale-sammlungen.de]

Authors & Affiliations

Samuel Thomas Soemmerring (Ritter von Soemmerring, Sömmerring und Soemmering (1755-1830) was a German anatomist, anthropologist, paleontologist and inventor, professor at the University of Mainz and Kasseler Collegium Carolinum. [wikipedia.org]

Samuel Thomas Soemmerring (1813)
Artist: Wendelin Moosbrugger, original in the wikimedia.org collection
(CC0 – Public Domain, no changes)

Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, anatomy, attachment, osteoarthritis, coxarthrosis, absence

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

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Comments

1886LesshaftP

According to the author, the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) reduces shocks and impacts of the articular surfaces. In addition, P. Lesshaft states an anatomical fact: the LCF is located vertically under the part of the acetabulum, which mainly bears the weight of the body. The text is prepared for machine translation using a service built into the blog from Google or your web browser. In some cases, we have added links to quotations about LCF available on our resource, as well as to publications posted on the Internet. Über die Vorriehtungen in den Gelenken zur Milderung der mit den Bewegungen verbundenen Stösse und Erschütterungen . Von P. Lesshaft, Professor der Anatomie in St. Petersburg. (Schluß.) Die Bewegungen im Kiefergelenke werden auch von einer hier liegenden Bandscheibe (Meniscus interarticularis) gemindert, aber außerdem von Syndesmosen, die als Gomphosis der Zähne und als Nahtverschmelzung (sutura) hier vorkommen und welche nichts anderes als eine (...

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1877MorrisH

An excerpt from the article by Morris H. Dislocations of the Thigh: their mode of occurrence as indicated by experiments, and the Anatomy of the Hip-joint (1877, pp. 161-170). The author noted that the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) is stretched during flexion, adduction, and external rotation. It was found that the LCF is always damaged in hip dislocations, is more often torn from the femur, and is rarely ruptured. Discussion of article see article 1877BrookeC . DISLOCATIONS OF THE THIGH: THEIR MODE OF OCCURRENCE AS INDICATED BY EXPERIMENTS AND THE ANATOMY OF THE HIP-JOINT. BY HENRY MORRIS, M.A., M.B., F.R.C.S., ASSISTANT SURGEON TO, AND LECTURER ON ANATOY1 AT, THE MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL. Received January 9th-Read February 13th, 1877. RECENTLY, whilst making various dissections of the hip-joint, the usually accepted doctrine that dorsal and ischiatic dislocations of the femur occur when the thigh is in a position of adduction appeared to me as very improbable, on anatomi...

163-192Galen

Fragment from the treatise Galen. On anatomical procedures (Περὶ Ἀνατομικῶν Ἐγχειρήσεων, ca. 163-192). The author writes about the high resiliency and hardness of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF), and also notes its connective function. See our commentary at the link: 163-192Galen [Rus], and 2020ArkhipovSV_ProlyginaIV . Quote [Grc] Περὶ Ἀνατομικῶν Ἐγχειρήσεων. Βιβλιον B. K εφ . ι ʹ . Αλλά χρή σε, καθάπερ επί της χειρός επεσκέψω τους συνδέσμους των οστών, ούτω και νυν επισκέψασθαι πασών των γεγυμνωμένων διαρθρώσεων, πρώτης μεν της κατ' ισχίον, εχούσης ένα μεν εν κύκλω σύνδεσμον, απάντων των άρθρων κοινόν, (ουδέν γάρ έστιν, ότω μή περιβέβληται τοιούτος σύνδεσμος,) έτερον δε τον διά του βάθους εν τη διαρθρώσει κατακεκρυμμένον, ος συνάπτει την κεφαλήν του μηρού τη κατ' ισχίον κοιλότητι, πάνυ σκληρός ών, ώς ήδη δύνασθαι λέγεσθαι νεύρον χονδρώδες. (original source: 1821KühnCG, pp. 328-329) [Lat] De Anatomicis Administrationibus. Liber II. Cap. X. Verum considerare te convenit, ut i...

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AUSTRALIAN ABORIGENES The first cuneiform texts appeared at the dawn of the Sumerian civilization in the period between 3500-3100 BCE. Due to the fact that before this interval there was no writing, an older text mentioning ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) will never be found. Perhaps a drawing or pictogram of it will be found on a stone. Our assumption is inspired by the study of the rock art of the Australian Aborigines in the style of «X-ray art». Ancient artists, depicting animals and people, often drew bones, internal and external organs, and also designated joints. The minimum age of the early X-ray painting on the western Arnhem Land Escarpment in northern Australia is 5068-6636 years (2017JonesT_WesleyD). Here, in the area of the Burrungui (Nourlangie) and Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II) shelters, rich in rock art, human settlements existed 24-20 Kya (2017MaySK_SanzID). Modern comprehensive analysis indicates the beginning of the settlement of Australia and the territory near...

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Sayings of Rava extracted from the tractates Chullin and Horayot (Babylonian Talmud). Babylonian Talmud was written between about 450 - 550 in present-day Iraq (formerly Babylonia). The rabbi identifies the location and distal attachment site of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) and demonstrates knowledge of its function. See our commentary at the link: 280-352Rava [Rus]. Quote 1. [Heb] Chullin 54b3 (original source: sefaria.org ) Quote 2. [Heb] Chullin 91a12 (original source: sefaria.org ) Quote 3. [Heb] Horayot 12a:16 (original source: sefaria.org ) Translation Quote 1. [Eng] Chullin 54b3 The Gemara addresses the matter itself: Rav Mattana says: This head of the femur that was completely dislocated renders the animal a tereifa. And Rava said: The animal is kosher, but if its sinew holding the bone in place is cut, it is a tereifa. The Gemara concludes: And the halakha is: Even if the sinew is cut, the animal is still kosher...

1851HyrtlJ

The author expresses a classic view on the functions of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF): a conductor of blood vessels and a limiter of adduction of the femur. J. Hyrtl believed that it was impossible to completely dislocate the hip without tearing the LCF. Hyrtl J. Lehrbuch der Anatomie des Menschen, mit Rücksicht auf physiologische Begründung und praktische Anwendung. Wien: W. Braumüller, 1851. [fragment] Quote p. 265 In der Höhle des Gelenks liegt das runde Band des Schenkelkopfes (Lig. teres), welches an der Incisura acetabuli entspringt, und bei richtiger Neigung des Beckens, senkrecht zur Grube des Schenkelkopfes aufsteigt. Es beschränkt dieses Band die Zuziehung des Schenkels, und schreibt zugleich den durch die Incisura acetabuli eindringenden Blutgefässen den Weg vor, den sie zum Oberschenkelkopfe zu nehmen haben. Da das Band, wenn es in die Höhle des Gelenkes vorragen würde, durch Reibung viel zu leiden hätte, so...

14c.Rudolf_von_Ems

Rudolf von Ems. Weltchronik, m iniature Jacob Wrestling with an Angel ( 14th cent., between 1350 and 1375). 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 ). Unknown author , m iniature Jacob Wrestling with an Ang...

1140St.Marie-Madeleine

Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene of Vézelay, capital s – Jacob with the Angel (1125 – 1140). 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 ( 2024 АрхиповСВ. Девятый месяц, одиннадцатый день ). Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene of Vézelay (1125 – 1140). Capital (...

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LCF in 2026 (August ) (Quotes from articles and books published in August 2026 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris) Maldonado, D. R., Schab, A. R., & Domb, B. G. (2026). Improvement in Patient‐Reported Outcomes, High Rate of Return to Sport, and Secondary Surgery Rate Ranging From 0% to 9.8% After Hip Arthroscopy in Dancers and Athletes in Flexibility Sports: A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation , e70020. [i] arthroscopyjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com Klingele, K., & Strub, D. (2026). Author Response: Considerations and Challenges in Open Reduction With Ligamentum Teres Reconstruction for Pediatric Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics . [ii] ovid.com Quesada‐Jimenez, R., Rana, K., Strok, M. J., Kahana‐Rojkind, A. H., Burt, A. K., Sugarman, E. P., & Domb, B. G. (2026). Dual Labral and Ligamentum Ter...

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