Together with the femoral vein it lies anterior to psoas major and is initially contained within the fibrous femoral sheath.
Within the femoral triangle it gives off a number of small branches ( variable, but usually including superficial external pudendal, superficial epigastric and superficial circumflex iliac arteries) as well as the large and important profunda femoris which is the main artery of the thigh.
The femoral artery can be felt (and sometimes seen) as a pulse at the top of the thigh at the mid-inguinal point. The artery is very superficial at this point and therefore may be damaged in traumatic inujury. It can be compressed by hand against psoas and the hip bone to control bleeding from further down the limb.
The femoral artery leaves the femoral triangle to enter the adductor (subsartorial) canal in company with the femoral vein and saphenous nerve. At the lower end of the canal the two vessels pass backwards through a tendinous opening in adductor magnus to enter the popliteal fossa.
In entering the lower limb at the front, but passing progressively posteriorly
to lie behind the knee joint, the femoral artery is subjected to the least
possible stretching from movements of the hip and knee.