Hip region

The hip region is situated on the side of the gluteal region and the buttocks.

Bony structure:

The underlying bony structure consists of the hip joint, formed by the connection between the head of the femur with the acetabular fossa of the hip bone. The hip joint is a synovial joint of the ball and socket type, enabling a wide range of movements, such as flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, circumduction, and internal and external rotation of the lower limb.

Capsule, ligaments, and blood supply:

• To provide stability to the joint, a fibrocartilaginous ring called the acetabular labrum attaches to the edges of the acetabulum, making the cavity less shallow.

• A fibrous capsule is connected to the edges of the acetabulum and the lower part of the femoral neck, with a majority of the neck positioned within the joint cavity. It is reinforced by three ligaments on the outside: the iliofemoral, ischiofemoral, and pubofemoral ligaments.

• The ligament of the head of the femur is attached to the femoral head on one end and to the acetabular notch on the other end. It contains a branch of the obturator artery that passes through the notch and passes along with the ligament to supply blood to the femoral head. Fracture of the femoral neck can potentially lead to avascular necrosis of the femoral head.

• The blood supply to the hip joint is derived from branches of the medial and lateral circumflex femoral arteries, which are branches of the profunda femoris artery (a.k.a. the deep femoral artery).

Muscular structure:

Muscles in the hip region include the deep and superficial gluteal muscles:

• The deep muscles of the gluteal region originate from the hip bone and the sacrum. They pass laterally behind the hip joint and insert into the greater trochanter of the femur, enabling lateral rotation of the hip joint.

• The superficial muscles of the gluteal region also extend laterally to cover the back of the hip. They insert into the femur (greater trochanter and shaft) and the iliotibial tract, allowing for various hip movements.

Osteoarthritis of the hip is a condition that occurs with aging, where the cartilage on the joint surfaces wears off due to age-related degeneration, resulting in pain.

Hip dislocation is rare due to the joint’s stability. However, a traumatic accident can cause posterior dislocation of the femoral head and damage the sciatic nerve.