Trochlea

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

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

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

• Trochlea of humerus
• Trochlear process of the Calcaneus
• The area where the tarsometatarsus articulates with the proximal phalanges in a bird’s foot

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

• Trochlea of superior oblique (see also superior oblique muscle). This use is the source of the name for the Trochlear nerve.

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