THE HIND LIMB JOINTS OF A DEER 

©David B. Fankhauser, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology and Chemistry
University of Cincinnati Clermont College,
Batavia OH 45103
opened hip joint
Here is the hip joint labeled.

This page has been accessed Counter times since 19 November 2002. 
19 November 2002
surface of tibial menisci on the
the knee.
Here is a labeled view of the knee joint.

Kathy S. and her husband provided the rear appendages of a fresh deer from which most of the muscle had been removed so that we could study the structure and features of the hip and the knee (thanks again to Kathy and Andy S.).  The following pictures were taken during that dissection.

HIP JOINT
 

Cut open the pubofemoral capsule to reveal the labrum
As the capsule is cut open further, the ligamentum teres can be seen within the acetabulum
With the entire capusle cut, the head of the femur can be pulled aside showing the ligamentum teres connecting to the acetabulum and the acetabular labrum around the edge of the acetabulum.

Here is a  labeled version of the same hip joint.
This close up of the head of the femur shows the articular cartilage which covers it (white, smooth hyaline, the fovea capitis at which the ligamentum teres attaches, and theturned back synovial membrane which lines the inside of the articular capsule.
The femur and the acetabulum separated and lined up.

KNEE JOINT
(These pictures were taken during dissection of both the right and left knees.  Those taken of the left knee have been rotated so they all have the same relationship and either are or appear to be the right knee...)
 

Undissected knee of a deer (patella on the upper R of picture).
Articular capsule has been opened up to see the patellar surface of the femur.  The lateral collateral ligament is seen at the left of the specimen.
Open capsule showing the the patellar surface of the femur to the left, and the articular surface of the patella to the right.
Lateral collateral ligament attaches the femur to the tibia (deer have no discernable fibula to which this ligament attaches in humans).
Cut through the popliteal portion of the articular capsule to reveal the posterioir cruciate ligament.  The medial meniscus is visible just to the right of the PCL.
Cruciate ligaments of the knee are visible between the femoral condyles.
Knee joint opened up to show the cruciate ligaments and the menisci.  The femoral condyles and patellar surface are clear as well.
proximal surface of the tibia show the menisci and the remnants of the cruciate ligaments.  The remains of the patellar ligament is at the top of the picture.

Here is a labeled view of the same knee joint.
The distal end of the femur shows the stumps of the cruciate ligaments in the intercondylar fossa.

Here is a labeled view of the same femur.
patellar surface of the femur

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