Neck Of The Femur, Posterior View

Description

Femoral neck anatomy is presented from a posterior perspective, centering on the junction between the femoral head and the proximal shaft. The femoral head sits medially and superiorly, narrowing into the neck before expanding laterally into the trochanteric region; the intertrochanteric crest forms a palpable ridge spanning between the greater and lesser trochanters on the posterior aspect. Along this crest, the quadrate tubercle can be appreciated as the insertion point for quadratus femoris, while the trochanteric fossa lies just medial to the greater trochanter, deep to where obturator externus inserts. No skin. Just bone. Posterior femoral neck morphology matters because fracture patterns and fixation strategies hinge on where the break occurs relative to the capsule and the posterior cortical buttress. Intracapsular femoral neck fractures threaten the retinacular branches of the medial circumflex femoral artery that course proximally along the neck, so a subtle change in neck contour or offset has real implications for avascular necrosis risk and arthroplasty planning. The posterior view also clarifies the intertrochanteric crest as a landmark that separates true neck fractures from intertrochanteric fractures, which tend to have different stability, bleeding, and implant choices. Orthopedic educators can drop this illustration directly into hip anatomy lectures to teach femoral neck anteversion concepts, posterior cortical landmarks, and muscle attachment sites without distraction from surrounding soft tissue. It also suits operative technique manuals and patient-facing fracture education pieces that need a single, fixed posterior reference for the proximal femur, including hemiarthroplasty templating discussions and intertrochanteric fracture classification. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.