The bones of the gluteal region and the thigh are the pelvic bone and the femur (Fig. 6.8). The large ball and socket joint between these two bones is the hip joint.
The femur is the bone of the thigh. At its distal end, its major weight-bearing articulation is with the tibia, but it also articulates anteriorly with the patella (knee cap). The patella is the largest sesamoid bone in the body and is embedded in the quadriceps femoris tendon.