1679DiemerbroeckI

Fragments from the book Diemerbroeck I. Anatome corporis humani (1679). The author describes the pathology variants, function, topography and attachment of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). The damage to the LCF in hip dislocation, symptoms and treatment are discussed. The text is similar to a paraphrase of Hegetor's work «On Causes» and Galen of Pergamon's commentary on Hippocrates' treatise «On Joints» (1745CocchiA; 2020ArkhipovSV_ProlyginaIV). Isbrand van Diemerbroeck uses many synonyms for LCF: nervus cartilaginosus, terete, teres, rotundum ligamentum, interius ligamentum.

Quote p. 593.

[Lat]

CAPUT XIX.

De Ossibus Femoris, & Cruris.

Superius procesum crassum, versus coxendicis os prominentem, eique epiphyin rotundam & amplam impositam habet, sicque globosum femoris caput, valida cervice subnixum, constituit, quod cartilagine obductum in coxendicis acetabulum reconditur, in eoque duobus validis ligamentis detinetur: uno lato, crasso, & membranoso, quod articulum totum circumdat: altero tereti, quod ab ipsa cavitate acetabuli productum, in femoris susceptum caput inferitur, idque acetabulo sirmissimè connectit, atque sic articulatio hæc per enarthrosin persicitur.

Quote pp. 604-605.

[Lat]

CAPUT VI.

De Ligamentis Cruris & Pedis.

Femur ischio copulatur duobus vinculis. Unum, quod exterius, totum articulum ambit, estque latum, durum crissum, & validum. Alterum, quod interius, & non nisi resecto priore conspici potest, ex acetabuli fundo procedens, mox in medium femoris caput inseritur, estque oblongum, teres, & durum, atque hinc Nervus cartilaginosus, nonnullis appellatur. Hæc ligamenta si per defluxiones pituitosorum humorum, in acetabulum delabentium, nimis laxentur, sit hujus articuli luxatio, quæ osse in locum restituto, per medicamenta exsiccantia & corroborantia, commodasque fasciationes curatur. At si ab acri fluxione erodantur & corrumpantur, sit immedicabile malum: vel si à violento externorum impetu illa luxation contingat, tunc interius rotundum ligamentum plerumque disrumpitur, quia ob singularem duritiem tantam tamque subitam non patitur extenionem, ut extra profundum acetabulum foras sine ruptione elabi possit, atque hinc talis luxatio prorsus incurabilis existit: quamvis enim os in suum locum seu acetabulum reducatur, tamen mox iterum excidit, propter interius ligamentum disruptum, sicque ægri claudicantes manent, luxato crure breviore existente altero: quod diligenter notandum chirurgis, ne in tali dislocatione articuli restitutionem, cum maximis ægri tormentis, identidem frustra moliantur.

Translation

[Eng]

Quote p. 593.

Chapter XIX.

Of the bones of the femur and tibia.

Above there is a thick process directed towards the pelvic bone, and on it is a round and large epiphyseal plate, thus forming a round head of the femur, supported by a strong neck. This head is covered with cartilage and placed in the acetabulum of the pelvis, where it is held by two strong ligaments: one broad, thick and membranous, which surrounds the entire joint; the other rounded, which begins directly in the cavity of the acetabulum and is immediately attached to the head of the femur, firmly connecting it with the acetabulum. Thus this joint provides mobility by enarthrosis.

Quote pp. 604-605.

[Eng]

Chapter VI.

Of the Ligaments of the Leg and Foot.

The thigh is connected to the pelvis by two ligaments. One, which is external, surrounds the entire joint is broad, strong and thick. The other, internal, which is visible only after the removal of the first, comes out of the bottom of the acetabulum and is immediately inserted into the middle of the head of the femur, is long, round and strong, and is therefore called by some the cartilaginous nerve. If these ligaments become too weak due to the flow of mucous fluids entering the acetabulum, then a dislocation of the joint occurs, which is treated with drying and strengthening medicines and suitable bandages. But if they are corroded and injured by a sharp flow, then this is an incurable misfortune: or if the dislocation occurs from a strong external blow, then the internal round ligament usually breaks, since, due to its special hardness, it cannot stretch to such a degree as to be displaced from the deep acetabulum without breaking. Therefore such a dislocation is absolutely incurable: even if the bone is returned to its place in the acetabulum, it soon falls out again due to the torn internal ligament, and so the patients remain lame, with a dislocated and shortened leg. This must be carefully taken into account by surgeons, so as not to try again and with great suffering for the patient to unsuccessfully attempt to reset the joint.

External links

Diemerbroeck I. Anatome corporis humani; plurimis novis inventis instructa variisque observationibus, & paradoxis, cùm medicis, tum physiologicis adornata. Lugduni: Sumpt. Joan. Antonij Huguetan, & Soc., M.DC.LXXIX [1679]. [books.google]

Authors & Affiliations

Isbrand van Diemerbroeck (Ijsbrand, Ysbrand; 1609-1674) was a Dutch physician, anatomist, and professor of medicine and anatomy at Utrecht University. [wikipedia.org]

Isbrand van Diemerbroeck (circa 1670)
Author Johannes Edelinck, original in the wikimedia.org collection
(CC0 – Public Domain, no changes)

Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, anatomy, attachment, damage, injury, dislocation, properties, role, synonym

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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DISEASES AND INJURIES

Comments

1902RilkeRM

Works of art that mention ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) are extremely rare. One such work is the poem «Der Schauende» ( He Who Visions, The Seer, The Man Watching, The Beholder) b y Rainer Rilke. Below is the original text in German. Der Schauende 1. Ich sehe den Bäumen die Stürme an, die aus laugewordenen Tagen an meine ängstlichen Fenster schlagen, und höre die Fernen Dinge sagen, die ich nicht ohne Freund ertragen, nicht ohne Schwester lieben kann. 2. Da geht der Sturm, ein Umgestalter, geht durch den Wald und durch die Zeit, und alles ist wie ohne Alter: die Landschaft, wie ein Vers im Psalter, ist Ernst und Wucht und Ewigkeit. 3. Wie ist das klein, womit wir ringen, was mit uns ringt, wie ist das groß; ließen wir, ähnlicher den Dingen, uns so vom großen Sturm bezwingen, - wir würden weit und namenlos. 4. Was wir besiegen, ist das Kleine, und der Erfolg selbst macht uns klein. Das Ewige und Ungemeine will nicht von uns gebogen sein. Das ist der Enge...

1730CheseldenW

Fragments from the book Cheselden W. The Anatomy of the Human Body (1730). The author draws attention to the role of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in counteracting hip dislocation and maintaining the femoral head in the joint. The work notes that the LCF is “powerful” and “short” - “about two inches” i.e. approximately 5 cm! This error will be corrected in a subsequent treatise ( 1733CheseldenW ) . Quote pp. 43 - 44 Chap. VII. Of the Ligaments At the upper part of the articulation of the Os Femoris and Os Innominatum, is a strong ligament of great consequence; it contributing very much to preserve that joint from being luxated by the weight of the body. And from the lower edge of the Acetabulum of the Os Innominatum, runs a ligament to the middle of the head of the Os Femoris, about two inches long (which the Motion in this joint requires) called Teres, or Rotundum, whose use is to prevent the Os Femoris from being luxated upwards, but down wards it will le...

LCF in 2026 (May)

LCF in 2026 (May ) (Quotes from articles and books published in May 2026 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris) Kim, P. S., Kang, C., Lee, J. K., & Hwang, J. M. (2026). Hip arthroscopy to treat symptomatic paralabral cysts: a retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes. Arthroscopy and Orthopedic Sports Medicine , 13 (1), 27-34. [i] e-aosm.org Ko, H. Y. (2026). Vascular Anatomy of the Extremities and Lungs. In Practical Functional Anatomy for Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: A Guide for Physiatrists and Rehabilitation Specialists (pp. 191-223). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. [ii] link.springer.com Aiba, H., Yamaguchi, M., Kimura, H., & Murakami, H. (2026). Advances in limb-salvage surgery and reconstruction for pediatric bone and soft tissue tumors. Frontiers in Pediatrics , 14 , 1817788. [iii] pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Bajwa, A., Villar, R., ...

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...

16с.Archangel_Michael

Icon «Michael the Archangel (in deeds)», stigma «The struggle of Jacob with the angel» (16th cent.). 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 – Icon «Michael the Archangel (in deeds)»...

1626BartholinC

Fragment from the book Bartholin C. Anatomicae Institutiones Corporis Humani (1626). The author describes the anatomy, topography, geometric and mechanical properties of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). The term «terete» (rounded) is used to indicate its geometry. The term «cartilagine» (cartilaginous) is used to describe the hardness of the LCF, and the analogy of «nervus esset cartilaginosus» (like a cartilaginous sinew) is given. Similar terminological elements are present in the works of Galen of Pergamon and Theophilus Protospatharius ( 2020ArkhipovSV_ProlyginaIV ). See the previous edition at the link: 1611BartholinC Quote p. 409 [Lat] Cap. XXI. DE OSSIBUS TOTIUS PEDIS. … I. Est caput maximum & rotundum, ex appendice factum, quod in coxendicis acetabulum inseritur, & duplici ligamento cum coxendice nectitur: uno communi, lato, membraneo, sed satis crasso, orbiculatum articulum ambiente; altero terete, quasi cartilagine (ac si nervus esset cart...

1905BardeenCR

An excerpt from the article by Bardeen CR. Studies of the development of the human skeleton (1905). The author briefly discusses the emergence of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). Quote p. 287 The hip-joint is represented at first by a dense mass of scleroblastema, Fig. 55. The development of the acetabulum by ingrowth and fusion of processes from the iliac, ischial and pubic cartilages has already been described. The cartilagenous joint-cavity is at first quite shallow, Fig. 56. But extension of cartilage into the blastemal tissue which passes from the pelvis over the head of the femur serves greatly to deepen it on all sides except in the region of the cotyloid notch. The joint-cavity is at first completely filled with a dense blastemat tissue, Fig. 56. While the embryo is growing from 20 to 30 mm. in length cavity formation begins in the tissue lying between the cartilagenous floor of the acetabulum and the head of the femur. The first stage in the process is marked by a c...

1720RuyschF

The author draws attention to the well-developed blood supply of the acetabular fossa, as well as the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). In the work, it is referred to as the «ligamentum nerveo-cartilagineum», which literally means the tough cartilaginous ligament and implies its strength. With the difficulty of accessing the acetabular fossa, and therefore the LCF, Frederik Ruysch associates the inefficiency of treating hip joint pain. The writer presumably implies osteoarthritis. In our opinion, its development is initiated by the pathology of the LCF ( 2012АрхиповСВ ). The discussed work includes a black and white drawing of the LCF of a child, made by the illustrator Jan Wandelaar. In color, the same preparation, but from a different angle, was depicted by the artist Jan l'Admiral in a separate publication ( 1738LadmiralJ ). Ruysch F. Adversarium anatomico-medico-chirurgicorum decas secunda. In quâ varia notatu digna recensentur. Cum figuris aeneis. Amsterdami: a...

Human Children. Retelling of Chapter 14

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