condyle

(noun)

A smooth prominence on a bone where it forms a joint with another bone.

Related Terms

  • acromioclavicular
  • circumduction
  • acromioclavicular joint
  • Synovial joint
  • ball-and-socket joint

Examples of condyle in the following topics:

  • Tibia and Fibula (The Leg)

    • It widens and forms two condyles—the lateral and medial—that articulate with the condyles of the femur.
    • Between the two condyles is the intercondylar fossa, a small grove, into which two intercondylar tubercles sit.
    • On the anterior surface of the proximal region and inferiorly to the condyles is the tibial tuberosity to which the patella ligament attaches.
    • Proximally, the fibula head articulates with the lateral condyle of the tibia, and the biceps femoris attaches to the fibula head.
  • Femur (The Thigh)

    • Two rounded regions, termed the medial and lateral condyles, articulate with the tibia at the most anterior projection of the patella.
    • Between the two condyles lies the intercondylar fossa, a depression in which key knee ligaments attach; this significantly strengthens the knee joint and protects it against torsional damage.
    • Finally, the two epicondyles, the medial and lateral, lie immediately proximal to the condyles; they are also regions where key internal knee ligaments attach.
  • Dislocated Mandible

    • A dislocated mandible or jaw occurs at the temporomandibular joint: the mandibular condyles and the temporal bone fail to align correctly.
    • This joint is located where the mandibular condyles and the temporal bone meet.
    • The muscles that are affected during anterior jaw dislocation are the masseter and temporalis, which pull up on the mandible, and the lateral pterygoid, which relaxes the mandibular condyle.
    • This dislocation will push the jaw back, affecting the alignment of the mandibular condyle and mastoid.
  • Patella (The Knee)

    • The posterior surface of the patella contains the medial and lateral facets that articulate with the condyles of the femur.
  • Types of Synovial Joints

    • In this example, the condyles of the femur join with condyles of tibia and the saddle joint, where the lower end of the femur joins with the patella.
  • Patellofemoral Stress Syndrome

    • The result is thinning and softening of the articular cartilage under the patella and/or on the medial or lateral femoral condyles, synovial irritation and inflammation, and subchondral bony changes in the distal femur or patella known as "bone bruises".
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