The hip is one of the largest weight-bearing joints in the body and consists of two main parts:
In a healthy joint, the hip allows rotation and movement of the upper leg from side to side and back to front, enabling a high level of pain-free mobility – walking, sitting, bending, turning, etc. Comprised of bones, muscles, ligaments, cartilage and tendons, each component must work harmoniously within a complex structural relationship in order to support the smooth and painless functioning of the joint.
The hip is a very stable joint – with the ball fitting into the rounded socket or cup-like cavity. Ligaments (tough chords of tissue) form a capsule connecting the ball to the socket, keeping the bones in position and helping to stabilise and control motion.
The surfaces of the ball and socket are covered by a smooth, tough material called articular cartilage, which cushions the bones and helps them to rotate more easily within the socket. The rest of the surfaces of the hip joint are covered by a thin, smooth tissue liner called synovial membrane. This secretes a small amount of synovial fluid which lubricates the joint, further reducing friction and facilitating movement. Bursae, fluid-filled sacs, cushion the area where muscles or tendons glide across bone.
Normal body movements rely on joints working smoothly and without pain – maintaining maximum joint function allows us to enjoy an active and fulfilling life.
The hip joint is the largest weight-bearing joint in the human body. It is also referred to as a ball and socket joint and is surrounded by muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
Any injury or disease of the hip will adversely affect the joint's range of motion and ability to bear weight.
The hip joint is comprised of two bones: the thigh bone or femur and the pelvis which is made up of three bones called ilium, ischium, and pubis. The ball of the hip joint is made by the femoral head while the socket is formed by the acetabulum. The Acetabulum is a deep, circular socket formed on the outer edge of the pelvis by the union of three bones: ilium, ischium and pubis. The stability of the hip is provided by the joint capsule and the muscles and ligaments which surround and support the hip joint.
The head of the femur rotates and glides within the acetabulum. A fibrocartilaginous collar called the labrum is attached to the acetabulum and further increases the depth of the socket.
Ligaments are fibrous structures that connect bones to other bones. The hip joint is encircled with ligaments to provide stability to the hip by forming a dense and fibrous structure within the joint capsule. The ligaments adjoining the hip joint include:
Nerves of the hip transfer signals to and from the brain to the muscles around the hip. They also carry the sensory signals such as touch, pain, and temperature.
The main nerves in the hip region include the femoral nerve in the front of the hip and the sciatic nerve at the back. The hip is also supplied by a smaller nerve known as the obturator nerve.
There are blood vessels in front of the hip that supply blood to the lower limbs. The femoral artery, one of the largest arteries in the body, arises deep in the pelvis and can be felt in front of the upper thigh.
Hip movements:
Hip movements include flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, circumduction, and hip rotation.
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