What is the greater trochanter?

• A. A bony prominence on the proximal lateral side of the thigh, just below the hip joint
• B. The projection on the medial/superior portion of the femur
• C. The narrow area just below the head of the femur
• D. The distance between the femoral axis and the center of the femoral head

Answer: (A)

The greater trochanter is a bony prominence on the proximal lateral femur just below the hip joint. It serves as a major attachment site for hip abductor muscles like the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, and it’s a prominent, easily felt landmark on the outside of the hip.

The other descriptions point to different parts or concepts: the projection on the medial/superior portion of the femur wouldn’t be the greater trochanter, the narrow area below the head is the femoral neck, and a distance between axes describes a measurement rather than a bone landmark.