Stifle joint Stifle joint The stifle joint (often simply stifle) is a complex joint in the hind limbs of quadruped mammals such as the sheep, horse or dog. It is the equivalent of the human knee and is often the largest synovial joint in the animal's body. The stifle joint joins three bones: the femur, patella, and tibia. The joint consists of three smaller ones: the femoropatellar joint, medial femorotibial joint, and lateral femorotibial joint. The stifle joint consists of the femorotibial articulation (femoral and tibial condyles), femoropatellar articulation (femoral trochlea and the patella), and the proximal tibiofibular articulation. The joint is
Vertical clinging and leaping phalangeal index, low intermembral index, femurs with cylindrical head and high, narrow patellar grooves, and fused fibula and tibia. The high phalangeal index is the elongation of the phalangeal finger bones, which helps vertical clingers who require increased prehensile power in their hands to support their large bulk. The low intermebral index is the total length of the humerus and radius in percentage of total length of the femur and tibia. The features of the femur is part of an evolution of elongated femurs that helps the primates' extreme range of flexion and extension, which allows them to perform their