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The hip muscles are a group of muscles that act on the thigh at the hip joint and stabilise the pelvis. They include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, tensor fasciae latae, piriformis, obturator internus, obturator externus, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior, and quadratus femoris. The hip muscles can be divided into three main groups. The iliopsoas group of muscles includes the iliacus, psoas major, and psoas minor. The psoas major is a large muscle that runs from the bodies and disc of the L1 to L5 vertebrae, joins with the iliacus via its tendon, and connects to the lesser trochanter of the femur. The iliacus originates on the iliac fossa of the ilium. Together, these muscles are commonly referred to as the iliopsoas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Size | Large and superficial |
| Function | Abduct and extend the thigh at the hip joint |
| Muscles | Gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, tensor fasciae latae, piriformis, obturator internus, obturator externus, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior, quadratus femoris, iliopsoas, iliacus, psoas major, psoas minor, rectus femoris, sartorius, hamstrings, adductor muscles, quadriceps |
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What You'll Learn
- Hip muscles include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae
- The psoas major is a large muscle that runs from the L1 to L5 vertebrae
- The iliopsoas group of muscles includes the iliacus, psoas major, and psoas minor
- The obturator internus, obturator externus, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior, and quadratus femoris are known as the inner hip muscles
- Hamstring muscles assist with hip extension
Hip muscles include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae
The hip muscles include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae. These are the large and superficial gluteal muscles, which cover the lateral surface of the ilium. The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the human body by mass, followed by the gluteus medius and then the gluteus minimus. The gluteus maximus forms most of the muscle of the buttocks and originates primarily on the ilium and sacrum. It extends from the pelvis to the gluteal tuberosity of the femur. The gluteus medius is a large fan-shaped muscle located in the posterior hip, extending from the ilium to the proximal femur. The gluteus minimus lies deeper, positioned beneath the gluteus medius and the iliotibial (IT) band, extending both laterally and anteriorly to the hip joint. The tensor fasciae latae shares its origin with the gluteus maximus at the ilium and also shares the insertion at the iliotibial tract.
The hip muscles have a variety of functions on the hip joint, including extension, external and internal rotation, and abduction and adduction of the thigh at the hip joint. They are crucial for hip joint movement, particularly in extension and abduction. The gluteus maximus, for example, is responsible for the extension and external rotation of the thigh at the hip joint. The gluteus medius also acts on the hip joint, producing internal rotation of the thigh and abducting the thigh when the whole muscle contracts. It also stabilises the pelvis while standing or walking.
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The psoas major is a large muscle that runs from the L1 to L5 vertebrae
The hip muscles include the gluteals, adductor muscles, iliopsoas muscle, quadriceps and hamstrings. The iliopsoas group of muscles is made up of the iliacus, psoas major, and psoas minor.
The psoas major is a large, thick, fusiform muscle located in the lateral lumbar region between the vertebral column and the brim of the lesser pelvis. It is divided into a superficial and a deep part. The deep part originates from the transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae L1-L5. The superficial part originates from the lateral surfaces of the last thoracic vertebra, lumbar vertebrae L1-L4, and the neighbouring intervertebral discs. The lumbar plexus lies between the two layers.
The psoas major is innervated via the anterior rami of L1-L4, and also receives small branches from the femoral nerve. The superior portions are smaller in diameter than the inferior portion and are located more posterior to the axes of flexion-extension of the lumbar segment. The muscle is more substantial on the side of the dominant leg at all four vertebral levels measured.
The psoas major attaches (originates) proximally (above) on the bodies of the vertebrae, specifically the bodies of vertebrae T12-L4. As the psoas major heads down on either side of the spine, it crosses a total of eight joints before heading forward slightly to drop over the front of the pubic bone. It then reaches its distal attachment on the lesser trochanter of the femur.
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The iliopsoas group of muscles includes the iliacus, psoas major, and psoas minor
The hip muscles are large and superficial, and their main function is to act on the thigh at the hip joint and stabilise the pelvis. Without them, walking would be impossible. The iliopsoas group of muscles includes the iliacus, psoas major, and psoas minor. The psoas major is a large muscle that runs from the bodies and disc of the L1 to L5 vertebrae, joins with the iliacus via its tendon, and connects to the lesser trochanter of the femur. The iliacus originates on the iliac fossa of the ilium. Together, these muscles are commonly referred to as the "iliopsoas". The iliopsoas group also consists of the externus and internus obturators, the piriformis, the superior and inferior gemelli, and the quadratus femoris. These six originate at or below the acetabulum of the ilium and insert on or near the greater trochanter of the femur.
Other hip muscles include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae. These are also large and superficial muscles that have a variety of functions on the hip joint, including extension, external and internal rotation, and abduction and adduction of the thigh at the hip joint.
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The obturator internus, obturator externus, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior, and quadratus femoris are known as the inner hip muscles
The hip muscles are made up of many muscles whose main function is to act on the thigh at the hip joint and stabilise the pelvis. They can be divided into three main groups: the gluteals, the adductor muscles, and the iliopsoas muscle group. The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae are large and superficial muscles that abduct and extend the thigh at the hip joint.
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Hamstring muscles assist with hip extension
The hip muscles include the gluteals, adductor muscles, iliopsoas muscle, quadriceps and hamstrings. The iliopsoas group of muscles is made up of the iliacus, psoas major, and psoas minor. The psoas major is a large muscle that runs from the bodies and disc of the L1 to L5 vertebrae, joins with the iliacus via its tendon, and connects to the lesser trochanter of the femur. The iliacus originates on the iliac fossa of the ilium. The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the buttocks and is the main muscle involved in hip extension. The gluteus medius also helps with hip extension, though to a lesser extent.
The hamstring muscles consist of the long (BF-L) and short (BF-S) heads of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. The BF-L, ST, and SM act on both hip extension and knee flexion as biarticular muscles, whereas the BF-S flexes the knee as a uniarticular muscle. The hamstrings are occasionally treated as a muscle group (hip extensors or knee flexors). However, previous studies have reported morphological and functional differences among the hamstrings. For example, the hamstrings show individual characteristics in architectural parameters (e.g. fibre length, pennation angle, and physiological cross-sectional area). These architectural differences are likely closely associated with differences in the force-generation capacity of each hamstring muscle.
Despite between-study variations in moment arm values, hamstring muscle moment arms are generally found to be greater at the hip than the knee. Thus, for the same level of muscle force, the hamstrings will generate a greater hip extension than knee flexion joint torque. It also follows that a given hamstrings muscle length change will induce less sagittal angular displacement at the hip than the knee. Nonetheless, the smaller moment arm at the knee should also assist elastic energy storage in the hamstrings during lower leg deceleration (as the hamstrings resist hip flexion and knee extension) because the small moment arm provides the conditions for a high muscle force for a given knee joint torque, thus stretching the series elastic component, and particularly the long distal hamstrings tendons.
Performance of hip extension and knee flexion exercises increases when the hamstring muscles are in a lengthened condition. The hamstring muscles (particularly the semitendinosus) are more involved in knee flexion than in hip extension.
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Frequently asked questions
Hip muscles vary in size. The psoas major is a large muscle that runs from the bodies and disc of the L1 to L5 vertebrae, joins with the iliacus via its tendon, and connects to the lesser trochanter of the femur. The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae are also large muscles.
The largest hip muscles are the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae.
The smallest hip muscles are the piriformis, obturator internus, obturator externus, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior, and quadratus femoris.
The main function of the hip muscles is to act on the thigh at the hip joint and stabilize the pelvis. Without them, walking would be impossible.
The three main groups of hip muscles are the iliopsoas, the externus and internus obturators, and the hamstrings.
