132 ATLAS AND TEXT-BOOK OF HUMAN ANATOMY. 



Fig. 212. — The right hip-joint seen from in front (§). 



Fig. 213. — The right hip-joint seen from behind (§). 



Fig. 214. — Socket of the right hip-joint after cutting through the articular capsule and the round ligament. 

 The head of the femur has been removed (f). 



Fig. 215. — Section through the pelvis and the two hip-joints taken in a plane almost at right angles to 



the axis of the pelvis (§). 

 Fig. 216. — The right hip-joint opened through the anterior wall of the articular capsule so as to show the 



round ligament. The head of the femur has been drawn out of the socket and rotated 



outward and backward (f). 



a broad characteristic ligament of the hip-joint, the round ligament (ligamentum teres) (Figs. 214 

 and 216), which becomes slightly narrower and is inserted into the depression on the head of the 

 femur. This ligament is flat, and only its external portion is formed of firm connective-tissue 

 fasciculi; in its interior nutrient vessels pass to the head of the femur. It lies in folds upon the 

 cushion of fat in the acetabular fossa, and on account of its length and soft structure plays little 

 part in checking the movements of the joint. 



The strong articular capsule of the hip-joint (Figs. 212, 213, and 215) is markedly reinforced 

 by accessory ligaments. It arises from the outer circumference of the glenoidal lip and embraces 

 not only the head of the femur but also the greater portion of its neck. Anteriorly it is inserted 

 into the intertrochanteric line ; posteriorly it does not extend so far, and surrounds only somewhat 

 more than the half of this portion of the neck of the femur. 



The reinforcing digaments are firmly adherent to the capsule of the hip- joint and are com- 

 posed of longitudinal and of circular fibers. The latter are known as the orbicular ligament (zona 

 orbicularis) (Fig. 215) and embrace the narrowest portion of the femoral neck; they pursue a 

 circular course within the innermost fibrous layers of the capsular ligament and are rather inti- 

 mately connected with the longitudinal ligaments. The longitudinal fasciculi receive different 

 names according to their places of origin, and since each of the three parts of the innominate 

 bone gives origin to one of the fasciculi, they are consequently known as the iliofemoral, pubo- 

 capsular, and ischiocapsular ligaments. 



The iliofemoral ligament (Figs. 212 and 216) is the strongest of the three ligaments and 

 is one of the thickest ligaments in the body. It arises in the region of the anterior inferior spine of 

 the ilium, passes obliquely across the anterior surface of the articular capsule, broadening as it 

 goes, and is inserted into the entire length of the intertrochanteric line. The pubocapsular liga- 

 ment (Figs. 212 and 216) arises from the horizontal ramus of the pubis and passes across the inner 

 and posterior portion of the articular capsule toward the lesser trochanter. The ischiocapsular liga- 

 ment (Figs. 215 and 218) arises from the body of the ischium and runs in the posterior portion of 

 the capsular ligament; the majority of its fibers pass into the zona orbicularis, but some of them 

 converge upw r ard to the great trochanter. 



The thinnest places in the capsule of the hip-joint are situated in its lower portion between 

 the pubocapsular and the ischiocapsular ligaments, and above the zona orbicularis between the 

 ischiocapsular and iliofemoral ligaments. There is also a thin place in the antero-internal wall 

 of the capsule between the iliofemoral and pubocapsular ligaments, and a communication occasion- 



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