Trochlea

This article is about an anatomy term. For other uses, see Trochlea (disambiguation).

Trochlea (Latin for pulley) is a term in anatomy. It refers to a grooved structure reminiscent of a pulley's wheel.

Related to joints

Most commonly, trochleae bear the articular surface of saddle and other joints:

• Trochlea of humerus (part of the elbow hinge joint with the ulna)
• Trochlea of femur (forming the knee hinge joint with the patella)
• The trochlea tali in the superior surface of the body of talus (part of the ankle hinge joint with the tibia)
• Trochlear process of the calcaneus
• In quadrupeds, the trochlea of Radius (bone)
• The "knuckles" of the tarsometatarsus which articulate with the proximal phalanges in a bird's foot

Related to muscles

It also can refer to structures which serve as a guide for muscles:

• Trochlea of superior oblique (see also superior oblique muscle), a mover of the eye which is supplied by the trochlear nerve, or fourth cranial nerve