Which socket houses the head of the femur?

Which socket houses the head of the femur?

• A. Pubic symphysis
• B. Acetabulum
• C. Ischium
• D. Iliac fossa

Answer: (B)

Think of the hip joint as a ball-and-socket arrangement. The socket that receives the femoral head is the acetabulum, a cup-shaped cavity on the lateral pelvis formed by parts of the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The femoral head sits snugly in this socket, with the acetabular labrum deepening the cup to improve stability. The other structures listed aren’t the socket: the pubic symphysis is a front-facing joint between the pubic bones; the iliac fossa is an internal depression on the ilium; and while the ischium contributes to the acetabulum, it by itself is not the socket.

Think of the hip joint as a ball-and-socket arrangement. The socket that receives the femoral head is the acetabulum, a cup-shaped cavity on the lateral pelvis formed by parts of the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The femoral head sits snugly in this socket, with the acetabular labrum deepening the cup to improve stability. The other structures listed aren’t the socket: the pubic symphysis is a front-facing joint between the pubic bones; the iliac fossa is an internal depression on the ilium; and while the ischium contributes to the acetabulum, it by itself is not the socket.