The Hip Joint and

Pelvic Girdle
Anatomy and Physiology of
Human Movement
420:050

Objectives
Bones,

bony landmarks and joints

Muscles
Movements

Hip Joint

Hip joint (femur and acetabulum of pelvis)

Hip joint and pelvic girdle work together much like

shoulder joint and girdle

Relatively stable due to:

Bony architecture
Strong ligaments
Large supportive muscles

Pelvis moves in response to trunk and/or thigh movement

Other bones to consider

Tibia
Fibula
Patella

Pelvic Girdle
Pelvic girdle Pelvic bones, sacrum, coccyx
Pelvic bones:

Sacrum:

Each pelvic bone is made up of three fused bones ilium,

ischium, & pubis
Right & left pelvic bone joined together posteriorly by sacrum
Extends from spinal column with 5 fused vertebrae

Coccyx:

Extends posteriorly from sacrum with 3 fused vertebrae

Lateral femoral
epicondyle

Medial femoral
epicondyle
Patella

Lateral tibial
condyle

Medial tibial
condyle

Head of fibula
Tibial tuberosity

Joints
Hip

joint

AKA Acetabular femoral joint

Diarthrodial multiaxial ball and socket
Movements
Planes and axes

Joints
Pubic

symphisis

Amphiarthrodial cartilagenous joint

Slightly moveable

Joints
Sacroiliac

joints

Diarthrodial gliding joints

Slightly moveable

Objectives
Bones,

bony landmarks and joints

Muscles
Movements

Muscles

Anterior:

Iliopsoas
Sartorius
Rectus femoris
Tensor fasciae latae

Posterior:

Gluteus maximus
Biceps femoris
Semitendonosus
Semimembranosus
Deep 6 external rotators

Lateral:

Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus

Medial:

Adductor brevis
Adductor longus
Adductor magnus
Gracilis
Pectineus

Iliopsoas

Sartorius

Rectus Femoris

Tensor Fasciae Latae

Muscles

Anterior:

Iliopsoas
Sartorius
Rectus femoris
Tensor fasciae latae

Posterior:

Gluteus maximus
Biceps femoris
Semitendonosus
Semimembranosus
Deep 6 external rotators

Lateral:

Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus

Medial:

Adductor brevis
Adductor longus
Adductor magnus
Gracilis
Pectineus

Gluteus Maximus

Semitendinosus

Semimembranosus

Biceps Femoris

Six Deep External Rotators

Muscles

Anterior:

Iliopsoas
Sartorius
Rectus femoris
Tensor fasciae latae

Posterior:

Gluteus maximus
Biceps femoris
Semitendonosus
Semimembranosus
Deep 6 external rotators

Lateral:

Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus

Medial:

Adductor brevis
Adductor longus
Adductor magnus
Gracilis
Pectineus

Gluteus Medius

Gluteus Minimus

Muscles

Anterior:

Iliopsoas
Sartorius
Rectus femoris
Tensor fasciae latae

Posterior:

Gluteus maximus
Biceps femoris
Semitendonosus
Semimembranosus
Deep 6 external rotators

Lateral:

Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus

Medial:

Adductor brevis
Adductor longus
Adductor magnus
Gracilis
Pectineus

Adductor Brevis

Adductor Longus

Adductor Magnus

Pectineus

Gracilis

Objectives
Bones,

bony landmarks and joints

Muscles
Movements

Movements
Flexion

Movement of femur straight

anteriorly

Extension

Movement of femur straight

posteriorly

Movements
Abduction

Movement of femur laterally

to side away from midline

Adduction

Movement of femur
medially toward midline

Movements
Horizontal

Movement of femur in a horizontal or transverse

plane toward the midline

Horizontal

adduction

abduction

Movement of femur in a horizontal or transverse

plane away from the midline

Movements
External

Movement of femur laterally

around its long axis away from
midline

Internal

rotation

rotation

Movement of femur medially

around its long axis toward
midline

Movements
Diagonal

Movement of femur in a
diagonal plane away from
midline of body

Diagonal

abduction

adduction

Movement of femur in a
diagonal plane toward midline
of body

Movements
Anterior

pelvic tilt

Anterior movement of upper

pelvis; iliac crest tilts forward
in a sagittal plane

Posterior

pelvic tilt

Posterior movement of upper

pelvis; iliac crest tilts
backward in a sagittal plane

Movements

Left lateral pelvic tilt

Left pelvis moves inferiorly in

relation to right pelvis in frontal
plane

Right lateral pelvic tilt

Right pelvis moves inferiorly in

relation to left pelvis in frontal
plane

Movements
Left

transverse pelvic tilt

Left pelvis moves

posteriorly in relation to the
right in transverse plane

Right

transverse pelvic tilt

Right pelvis moves

posteriorly in relation to the
left in transverse plane

LINE OF PULL

FLEXION

Superior movement of the femur in the sagittal plane

FLEXION

FLEXION
Iliopsoas
Rectus

femoris
Sartorius
Tensor fasciae latae
Pectineus

EXTENSION

Inferior movement of the femur in the sagittal plane

EXTENSION

EXTENSION
Gluteus

maximus
Hamstrings

Biceps femoris
Semitendinosus
Semimembranosus

ABDUCTION
Superolateral

frontal plane

movement of the femur in the

Gluteus minimus

ABDUCTION

ABDUCTION
Tensor

fasciae latae
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus

ADDUCTION
Inferomedial

frontal plane

movement of the femur in the

ADDUCTION

ADDUCTION
Gracilis
Adductor

magnus
Adductor longus
Adductor brevis
Pectineus

HORIZONTAL ABDUCTION
Movement

of the femur away from the midline

of the body in the transverse plane

Muscles Abductors

HORIZONTAL ADDUCTION
Movement

of the femur towards the midline in

the transverse plane

Muscles Adductors

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL ROTATION

Movement of the femur towards/away the midline in

the transverse plane along its long axis