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Lower Extremity

By Jonathan Cluett, M.D., About.com

Created: May 18, 2009

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thigh femur knee hip

Bones of the lower extremity.

Image © A.D.A.M.
Definition: The lower extremity refers to the part of the body from the hip to the toes. The lower extremity includes the hip, knee, and ankle joints, and the bones of the thigh, leg, and foot.

Many people refer to the lower extremity as the leg. In fact, the leg is the part of the body between the knee and ankle joints. The proper way to describe the lower limb is the lower extremity.

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