---
title: "Femoral Artery | Anatomy and Physiology I"
description: "Femoral artery is the major artery supplying the thigh and lower limb after the external iliac artery passes under the inguinal ligament in Anatomy and Physiology I."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/anatomy-physiology/key-terms/femoral-artery"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Anatomy and Physiology I"
unit: "Unit 20"
---

# Femoral Artery | Anatomy and Physiology I

## Definition

The femoral artery is the main artery of the thigh, carrying oxygen-rich blood from the external iliac artery after it passes under the inguinal ligament. In Anatomy and Physiology I, it is a major landmark in circulatory pathways.

## What It Is

The femoral artery is the large artery that continues the external iliac artery after it passes beneath the inguinal ligament. In Anatomy and Physiology I, you usually meet it as the main arterial supply to the thigh and as a major route delivering oxygen-rich blood to structures in the lower limb.

Its location matters because it is one of the easiest major arteries to identify on the anterior side of the upper thigh. Once the external iliac artery crosses the inguinal ligament, its name changes to femoral artery. That name change is a good example of how anatomy often labels the same continuous vessel differently as it moves through a new region.

The femoral artery does not just sit in the thigh as one simple tube. It gives off branches that help supply nearby tissues, and then it continues down the limb before eventually becoming the popliteal artery behind the knee. That progression is part of the larger arterial pathway from the heart to the lower leg, so you are not memorizing an isolated structure, you are tracing a route.

Because it is a major vessel, the femoral artery is clinically important too. It is close enough to the surface in the groin area that it can be used as a pulse point, and it is also a site where blood flow can be assessed in circulation problems. If the artery is narrowed or blocked, the tissues below it can receive less oxygen, which can contribute to ischemia.

A common mistake is to think the femoral artery and femoral vein are the same thing or that arteries and veins always run in opposite places. In the thigh, they travel near each other, but they do different jobs. The femoral artery carries blood away from the heart toward the leg, while the femoral vein returns blood back toward the heart.

## Why It Matters

The femoral artery is one of the cleanest examples of how Anatomy and Physiology I connects structure to function. You are not just naming a vessel, you are tracing how blood reaches the lower limb and how a regional name change marks a new part of the circulatory pathway.

It also shows up in the bigger picture of blood pressure, pulse checking, and circulation to the legs. If you know where the femoral artery is, you can make better sense of leg perfusion, vascular injury, pulse assessment, and why reduced blood flow can produce pain, numbness, or tissue damage below the blockage.

This term also reinforces a common A&P skill, reading anatomy by region. The same vessel can have different names as it crosses landmarks such as the inguinal ligament, so identifying the artery means following the pathway instead of memorizing a random list of terms. That skill transfers to other circulatory pathways throughout the body.

## Connections

### Inguinal Ligament

The femoral artery begins where the external iliac artery passes under the inguinal ligament. That landmark is how you know the vessel has entered the thigh and changed its name. On diagrams, the ligament helps you place the artery in the correct anatomical region instead of confusing it with vessels in the pelvis.

### [abdominal aorta](/anatomy-physiology/key-terms/abdominal-aorta)

The abdominal aorta is part of the upstream pathway that eventually feeds blood into the lower limb. It gives rise to the common iliac arteries, which continue to the external iliac arteries before becoming the femoral artery. If you trace the route backward, the femoral artery is one step in a much larger arterial chain.

### Ischemia

If the femoral artery is narrowed, damaged, or blocked, tissues in the thigh or lower leg may not get enough oxygenated blood. That shortage is ischemia. This connection shows why artery anatomy is not just labeling practice, it explains symptoms like pain, weakness, cool skin, or poor healing.

### [anterior tibial artery](/anatomy-physiology/key-terms/anterior-tibial-artery)

The femoral artery is part of the pathway that eventually supplies the lower leg, while the anterior tibial artery is farther down that route. Knowing both helps you trace blood flow from the thigh into the leg. They are not the same vessel, but they belong to the same lower-limb circulation map.

## On the AP Exam

A quiz item might ask you to identify the femoral artery on a diagram, trace its path from the external iliac artery, or explain why the inguinal ligament matters as a landmark. You may also see it in case questions about pulse points, circulation to the lower limb, or symptoms of reduced blood flow. If a question describes oxygen-rich blood reaching the thigh, the femoral artery is the vessel you should be thinking about.

In lab or practical work, you might label it on a model or image and distinguish it from the femoral vein. In short-answer questions, the safest move is to describe both location and function: where it is, what it carries, and what region it supplies.

## Key Takeaways

- The femoral artery is the main artery of the thigh and a continuation of the external iliac artery after it passes under the inguinal ligament.
- It carries oxygen-rich blood toward the lower limb, so it is part of the arterial pathway that supports the thigh and leg.
- Anatomy and Physiology I often treats it as a regional landmark, not just a named vessel, because its name changes at the inguinal ligament.
- The femoral artery matters clinically because it is a major pulse point and because poor blood flow here can affect tissues below it.
- A good way to study it is to trace the pathway from the abdominal aorta to the lower leg instead of memorizing it by itself.

## FAQs

### What is the femoral artery in Anatomy and Physiology I?

The femoral artery is the major artery of the thigh. It begins as the continuation of the external iliac artery after that vessel passes beneath the inguinal ligament. In A&P, it is part of the lower-limb circulatory pathway and a useful landmark for tracing arterial blood flow.

### Where is the femoral artery located?

It is located in the upper thigh, just below the inguinal ligament in the groin region. From there, it runs down the thigh and continues toward the knee. On diagrams, it is usually shown as one of the main vessels on the anterior side of the upper leg.

### How is the femoral artery different from the femoral vein?

The femoral artery carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the leg, while the femoral vein returns blood back toward the heart. They travel close together, which is why they can be confused on images. The direction of flow is the easiest way to tell them apart.

### Why is the inguinal ligament important for the femoral artery?

The inguinal ligament is the landmark where the external iliac artery becomes the femoral artery. That change in name helps you place the vessel in the thigh instead of the pelvis. If you are tracing blood flow on a diagram, this landmark tells you where the lower-limb pathway begins.

## Related Study Guides

- [20.5 Circulatory Pathways ](/anatomy-physiology/unit-20/5-circulatory-pathways/study-guide/nKkAS5lkN4RVf6Kk)

## About This Document

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- [llms.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms.txt): index of Fiveable's sections and URL patterns
- [llms-full.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms-full.txt): complete subject and unit listing
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