What is the Femur?

3. The Shaft of the Femur

The femoral shaft is the long, straight section of the femur. It descends in a slightly medial direction and ensures that the knees are closer to the body’s center of gravity when the femur connects with them, which improves stability. Rough ridges of bone, the linea aspera, split at both the top and bottom. At the top of the shaft on the proximal boundary is the pectineal line. The gluteal tuberosity is on the top lateral side and attaches to the gluteus maximus muscle. At the lower end of the shaft, the linea aspera widens and forms the popliteal fossa floor, the lateral supracondylar line, and the medial supracondylar line. On the distal or lower side of the linea aspera, the medial supracondylar line comes to an end at the adductor tubercle. The adductor magnus attaches to the adductor tubercle.