| Acetabulum | The point at which the three bones of the pelvis (ilium, ischium, and pubis) fuse. It forms the pelvic portion of the hip joint and articulates with the head of the femur.
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| Angle of inclination | The angle of the head of the femur in the socket. It is approximately 125° in the frontal plane, allowing the femur to angle downward medially and thereby bring the knees closer together to provide a better base of support.
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| Anteversion | An excessive internal rotation of the shaft of the femur in relation to the neck.
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| Chondromalacia patella | A condition that is the result of prolonged exposure to excessive compressive forces or abnormal shear forces due to patellar mistracking. These forces result in a softening and degeneration of the articular cartilage of the patella.
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| Iliotibial band friciton syndrome (ITBFS) | A common overuse injury caused by excessive friction between the distal iliotibial band and the lateral condyle of the femur, resulting in inflammation and pain.
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| Ligamentum teres | A small ligament that runs from the femoral head to the acetabulum. It does not add stability to the joint but contains a small artery that supplies the head of the femur.
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| Meralgia paresthetica | A condition that arises as a result of the entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve as it exits the pelvis. Symptoms include burning pain and paresthesias in the distribution of the nerve.
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| Patellar tendonosis | Tendon degeneration (or failed healing), with or without symptoms or histologic signs of inflammation in the patellar tendon. This condition commonly stems from an overuse of the patella tendon, resulting in a cycle of continued insults to the tendon with unsuccessful healing that causes the continued degeneration of the tissue.
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| Patellofemoral pain syndrome | Anterior knee pain caused by abnormal motion of the patella in the trochlear groove, which results from biochemical and/or physical changes within the patellofemoral joint.
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| Piriformis syndrome | A nerve entrapment condition that involves the sciatic nerve and its branches being compressed by the piriformis. It can arise from trauma and chronic conditions and is characterized by pain in the hip and along the distribution of the sciatic nerve.
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| Quadriceps angle (Q angle) | A measurement that is used to determine the patellofemoral mechanics and is a reasonable estimate of the force between the quadriceps group and the patellar tendon.
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| Screw-home mechanism | The lateral rotation of the tibia that occurs during the last few degrees of extension, locking the joint in its most stable position.
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