Logan Steele
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint that connects the thigh bone (femur) to the hip bone (pelvis) and supports the body's weight. The hip muscles are divided into two main categories: the muscles of the hip joint and the muscles of the hip girdle. The muscles of the hip joint facilitate hip movement, while the muscles of the hip girdle offer stability and support to the hip joint. There are four main groups of hip muscles: Anterior/Hip flexors, Adductors, Abductors, and Posterior/Gluteals/Hip extensors. The hip flexors, which include the iliopsoas, psoas major, iliacus, and rectus femoris, are responsible for flexing the hip, which involves bringing the thigh towards the chest. The hip extensors, located at the back of the hip and buttock area, are responsible for moving the leg backward. The hip adductors are positioned on the inner side of the thigh and bring the leg towards the body's midline, while the abductors are located on the outer side of the hip and buttock and move the leg away from the body's midline. The gluteal group includes the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae. These muscles have a variety of functions, including extension, external and internal rotation, and abduction and adduction of the thigh at the hip joint.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles crossing the hip joint | 21 |
| Hip joint function | Provides dynamic support for the weight of the body/trunk while facilitating force and load transmission from the axial skeleton to the lower extremities, allowing mobility |
| Hip joint movement | Permits movement in three major axes, all of which are perpendicular to one another |
| Hip joint stability | Arises from the shape of the acetabulum, which can encompass almost the entire head of the femur |
| Hip joint blood supply | Most commonly from the medial circumflex and lateral circumflex femoral arteries |
| Hip muscles | Gluteals, adductors, abductors, iliopsoas, quadriceps, hamstrings, piriformis, obturator internus, obturator externus, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior, quadratus femoris, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, tensor fasciae latae, psoas major, psoas minor, iliacus, rectus femoris, sartorius |
| Hip flexors | Iliopsoas, psoas major, iliacus, rectus femoris, iliopsoas |
| Hip extensors | Gluteus maximus |
| Hip abductors | Gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, tensor fasciae latae |
| Hip adductors | Positioned on the inner side of the thigh (groin) |
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What You'll Learn
Hip flexors
The hip flexors are a group of muscles responsible for flexing the hip, or bringing the leg upward toward the body. The primary hip flexors are the psoas major and the iliacus, which, collectively, are often called the iliopsoas. The psoas originates from the lower vertebrae of your spine, while the iliacus originates from the inside bowl of your pelvis. They meet and insert at the top of the femur, or upper leg bone. The iliopsoas is the body's most important hip flexor.
The iliopsoas works to stabilize the trunk during activities such as lifting, pushing, and pulling. It also draws the knees toward the chest, as in swinging your leg forward when running or kicking a ball. People who sit for long periods have shorter hip flexor muscles, tilting the pelvis and changing the gait. Sitting for long periods also causes the hip flexors to stiffen, as they are forced to take over the job of stabilizing the spine and pelvis when certain muscles are weak, such as the core, glutes, or piriformis.
To keep the hip flexors supple, it is recommended to get up and move more throughout the day. Changing positions every 30 to 45 minutes can help avoid tightness. Some simple stretches include standing up and walking around, or performing a quick stretch. More specific stretches to target the hip flexors include holding each stretch for 30 seconds on each side, repeating for three sets, at least twice a day. One such stretch involves kneeling on the floor with one leg forward, with the thigh parallel to the floor and the knee bent at a 90-degree angle.
Other hip flexor muscles include the rectus femoris and sartorius. The rectus femoris is one of the quadriceps and has two functions: to flex at the hip and extend the knee. The sartorius is the longest muscle in the body, crossing the hip and knee joints, and functions to flex the hip and externally rotate the leg.
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Hip extensors
The hip joint is a crucial part of the body, connecting the thigh bone (femur) to the hip bone (pelvis) and enabling movement of the upper leg while supporting body weight. The hip extensors are a group of muscles that are primarily responsible for activities like jumping, running, and standing up. They play a key role in the upward and forward movement of the body. The gluteus maximus is the primary hip extensor, with other hip extensors including the hamstrings (the long head of the biceps femoris, the semitendinosus, and the semimembranosus) and the adductor magnus. The gluteus maximus is the most powerful muscle in this group, contributing more than 75% of the total power output.
Hip extension occurs when the hip joint is extended or "opened", increasing the angle between the pelvis and thigh. This movement is involved in many daily activities such as walking, standing up from a chair, and climbing stairs. It is also essential for various sports activities, including running, jumping, and kicking. The hip extensor muscles are particularly active at the beginning of a stance and help prevent hip flexion. Weak hip extensors can cause a person to take smaller steps and slow down their gait to allow more time for limb stabilisation.
To maintain strong hip extensors, it is important to incorporate hip extension exercises into your workout routine. A strong hip extensor can improve athletic performance, stabilise the pelvis and spine, and reduce back pain. Some tips for effective hip extension exercises include warming up with light cardio and dynamic stretching, focusing on good form, and engaging the glutes to ensure the hamstrings are not overworked.
Weak hip extensors can result from prolonged sitting and a sedentary lifestyle. This can lead to an anterior pelvic tilt, where the pelvis tilts forward and down, increasing strain on the lower back and hamstrings. Therefore, it is important to minimise sitting time and incorporate stretching and exercises into your routine to maintain strong and flexible hip extensors.
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Hip abductors
The hip abductors are an important group of muscles that contribute to our ability to stand, walk, and rotate our legs with ease. They are closely related to the core muscles and are crucial for balance and athletic activity. The primary hip abductor muscles include the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae. The secondary hip abductors include the piriformis, sartorius, and superior fibres of the gluteus maximus.
The hip abductor muscles are responsible for most of the forces on the hip while standing on one leg. These muscles are necessary for staying stable when walking or standing on one leg. They help control the pelvis within the frontal plane while walking. Weakness in these muscles can cause pain and interfere with proper movement.
Weak hip abductors can cause knee valgus, where the knees cave inward, giving a "knock-kneed" appearance. This is most commonly seen in young women and older adults or those with muscle imbalances or improper form during exercise. Hip abduction exercises can improve this condition. Weakness in the hip abductors, particularly the gluteus medius, may also lead to overuse injuries, patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), and iliotibial (IT) band syndrome.
Hip abduction exercises can be used to strengthen the hip abductors and treat pain in the hips and knees. Such exercises include lying side leg lifts, clamshells, and banded side steps or squats.
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Hip adductors
The hip joint connects the thigh bone (femur) to the hip bone (pelvis) and allows for movement in three major axes, all perpendicular to one another. The hip muscles encompass many muscles that act on the thigh at the hip joint and stabilise the pelvis. Without them, walking would be impossible.
The main function of the hip adductors is to produce adduction of the thigh at the hip joint, pulling the thigh towards or past the median plane. The hip adductors also have secondary functions, including hip flexion and rotation. They help stabilise the pelvis and lower extremity during the stance phase of gait and assist in postural control.
The hip adductors are innervated by the obturator nerve, which arises from the lumbar plexus, and are supplied with blood mainly via the branches of the femoral and obturator arteries.
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Iliopsoas group
The iliopsoas group of muscles is made up of the iliacus, psoas major, and psoas minor. The iliopsoas is a large compound muscle of the inner hip. The iliopsoas muscle is a major hip flexor that also helps to move the spine. The iliopsoas is the strongest flexor of the hip joint. The iliacus is a large triangular-shaped muscle that lies over the surface of the ilium, lateral to the lower part of the psoas major and psoas minor muscles. Its fibres merge with the fibres of the psoas major muscle around the level of the inguinal ligament to become the iliopsoas muscle. The iliopsoas tendon is separated from the hip joint by a large subtendinous iliac bursa, which sometimes communicates with the joint cavity. The iliopsoas muscle is essential for correct standing or sitting lumbar posture, stabilising the coxofemoral joint, and is crucial during walking and running.
The psoas major is a long, thick, and fusiform muscle that lies lateral to the lumbar vertebrae and medial to quadratus lumborum. At its upper end, it is covered by the medial arcuate ligament as it passes through the diaphragm. It originates from the T12-L4 vertebrae and descends to insert onto the lesser trochanter of the femur after fusing with the iliacus muscle. The psoas major and iliacus muscles produce a powerful flexion of the thigh at the hip joint. The psoas major flexes and laterally flexes the trunk and laterally rotates the thigh at the hip joint.
The psoas minor is located in front of the major psoas, originating from the last thoracic vertebra and the first lumbar. It is present in 60% to 65% of the population. The psoas minor muscle should help the action of the iliopsoas muscle. The iliopsoas group of muscles crosses the hip joint and shares the same functions.
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Frequently asked questions
The muscles that support the hips include the gluteals, adductor muscles, iliopsoas muscle, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
The hip muscles provide stability, support, and a broad range of movements. They also help with walking, sitting, standing, and bending.
The hip joint provides dynamic support for the weight of the body/trunk while facilitating force and load transmission from the axial skeleton to the lower extremities, allowing mobility.
You can keep your hip joints healthy by exercising and stretching your muscles before any physical activity. It is also important to not over-exert yourself and to maintain a healthy weight.
