SPECIAL ANATOMY OF THE SKELETON 



Articulations. With three bones the femur, fibula, and astragalus. 



Attachment of Muscles. To twelve: To the inner tuberosity, theSemimembranosus; to tl 

 outer tuberosity, the Tibialis anticus and Extensor longus digitorum and Biceps femoris, to i\ 

 shaft, its internal surface, the Sartorius, Gracilis, and Semitendinosus ; to its external surfac 

 the Tibialis anticus; to its posterior surface, the Popliteus, Soleus, Flexor longus digitorum, an 

 Tibialis posticus; to the tubercle, the ligamentum patellae, by which the Quadriceps extensc 

 muscle is inserted into the tibia. In addition to these muscles, the Tensor fasciae femoris 

 inserted indirectly into the tibia, through the iliotibial band, and the Peroneus longus occasional 

 derives a few fibres of origin from the outer tuberosity. 



Surface Form. A considerable portion of the tibia is subcutaneous and easily felt. At th 

 upper extremity the tuberosities are to be recognized just below the knee. The internal one 

 broad and smooth, and merges into the subcutaneous surface of the shaft below. The exterm 

 one is narrower and more prominent, and on it, about midway between the apex of the patell; 

 and the head of the fibula, may be felt a prominent tubercle for the insertion of the iliotibif 

 band. In front of the upper end of the bone, between the tuberosities, is the tubercle of thi 

 tibia, forming an oval eminence which is continuous below with the anterior border or ere.' 

 of the bone. This border can be felt, forming the prominence of the shin, in the upper twc 

 thirds of its extent as a sharp and sinuous ridge, curved outward above and inward below. I 

 the lower third of the leg the border disappears, and the bone is concealed by the tendons of th 

 muscles on the front of the leg. Internal to the anterior border is to be felt the broad interm 

 surface of the tibia, slightly encroached upon by the muscles in front and behind. It con: 

 mences above at the wide expanded inner tuberosity, and terminates below at the internal malh 

 olus. The internal malleolus is a broad prominence situated on a higher level and somewha 

 farther forward than the external malleolus. It overhangs the inner border of the arch of th 

 foot. Its anterior border is nearly straight; its posterior border presents a sharp edge whic. 

 forms the inner margin of the groove for the tendon of the Tibialis posticus muscle. 



The Fibula, or Calf Bone (Figs. 185, 186). 



The fibula is situated at the outer side of the leg. It is the smaller of the twi 

 bones, and, in proportion to its length, the most slender of all the long bones; i 

 is placed on the outer side of the tibia, with which it is connected above and belo\\ 

 Its upper extremity is small, placed toward the back of the head of the tibia am 

 below the level of the knee-joint, and excluded from its formation; the lowe 

 extremity inclines a little forward, so as to be on a plane anterior to that of th 

 upper end, projects below the tibia, and forms the outer ankle. It present 

 for examination a shaft and two extremities. 



The Proximal or Upper Extremity. The upper extremity, or head (capitu 

 him fibulae), is of an irregular quadrate form, presenting above a flattened articula 

 facet, directed upward, forward, and inward, for articulation with a correspondin, 

 facet on the external tuberosity of the tibia. On the outer side is a thick am 

 rough prominence, continued behind into a pointed eminence, the styloid proces 

 of the fibula (apex capituli fibulae), which projects upward from the posterio 

 part of the head. The prominence gives attachment to the tendon of the Bicep 

 femoris muscle and to the long external lateral ligament of the knee, the ligamen 

 dividing the tendon into two parts. The summit of the styloid process give 

 attachment to the short external lateral ligament. The remaining part of th 

 circumference of the head is rough, for the attachment of muscles and ligaments 

 It presents in front a tubercle for the origin of the upper and anterior part of th 

 Peroneus longus, and the adjacent surface gives attachment to the anterio 

 superior tibiofibular ligament; and behind, another tubercle for the attachmen 

 of the posterior superior tibiofibular ligament and the upper fibres of origin o 

 the Soleus muscle. 



The Shaft (corpus fibulae}. The shaft presents four borders the antero 

 external, the antero-internal, the postero-external, and the postero-internal; am 

 four surfaces anterior, posterior, internal, and external. 



The antero-external border (crista anterior^) commences above in front of th 

 head, runs vertically downward to a little below the middle of the bone, and then 



