444 



THE INFERIOR EXTREMITY 



lateral aspect of the distal part of the thigh, the fingers can be 

 made to sink into the popliteal fossa, through the interval which 

 is bounded behind by the biceps tendon and in front by the 

 ilio-tibial tract. A similar interval can be made out on the 

 medial side behind the tendon of the adductor magnus. 



The Popliteal Fossa lies behind the knee-joint and extends 

 beyond it in both directions. Its roof, which is formed by a 

 thin but strong sheet of deep fascia, is pierced near its centre 



Adductor magnus 

 tendon 



Vastus medialis 



Popliteal fossa 

 Semimembranosus 



Medial condyle of femur 

 - Semitendinosus 



FIG. 128. The Medial Side of the Knee. 



by the small saphenous vein. Proximally, the fossa is bounded 

 by the biceps on the lateral side, and by the semimembranosus 

 and semitendinosus on the medial side ; distally, it is bounded 

 by the two heads of origin of the gastrocnemius. The floor of 

 the fossa is formed by the popliteal surface of the femur, the 

 posterior ligament of the knee-joint, and the posterior surface 

 of the popliteus, which is covered by a strong layer of fascia. 



The Popliteal Artery begins at the hiatus tendineus in 

 the adductor magnus (p. 412), where it is continuous with the 

 femoral artery. As it passes through the popliteal fossa it 

 inclines laterally till it reaches the middle line of the limb, and 

 then descends vertically to the distal border of the popliteus, 



