## Anatomy of the Hip Joint ### Correct Statements (Options 0, 1, 3) **Key Point:** The hip joint is a multiaxial ball-and-socket (spheroid) synovial joint with excellent stability due to its deep socket and strong ligamentous support. | Feature | Details | |---------|----------| | **Articulation** | Femoral head (convex) + acetabulum (concave) | | **Acetabular labrum** | Fibrocartilaginous rim that deepens socket by ~25%; increases stability and load distribution | | **Iliofemoral ligament** | Strongest hip ligament; limits extension, abduction, and external rotation; shaped like inverted Y | | **Joint capsule** | Thick, strong; reinforced by three ligaments (iliofemoral, pubofemoral, ischiofemoral) | ### Why Option 2 (Ligamentum Teres) Is INCORRECT **High-Yield:** The ligamentum teres (round ligament) carries a small artery to the femoral head, but this is a **minor and inconsistent** blood supply — especially in adults. **Clinical Pearl:** The main blood supply to the femoral head in adults comes from the **medial and lateral femoral circumflex arteries** (branches of the profunda femoris), which form an extracapsular arterial ring at the base of the femoral neck. The ligamentum teres artery becomes increasingly insignificant with age and is often obliterated in elderly patients. **Warning:** This is a classic NEET PG trap. Students often confuse the ligamentum teres with a major vascular structure — it is not. In children, it may carry some blood, but in adults, it is functionally negligible. ### Blood Supply Summary 1. **Medial femoral circumflex artery** (main supply to femoral head) 2. **Lateral femoral circumflex artery** (supplementary) 3. ~~Ligamentum teres artery~~ (minor, inconstant, often obliterated in adults) **Mnemonic:** **MLFCA** = Medial and Lateral Femoral Circumflex Arteries (the real blood supply to femoral head). [cite:Gray's Anatomy 42e, Clinically Oriented Anatomy Ch 5]
Sign up free to access AI-powered MCQ practice with detailed explanations and adaptive learning.