The hip functions as a major weight-bearing joint, connecting the leg to the torso. It supports the body’s weight and facilitates a wide range of movements, playing a foundational role in locomotion like walking, running, and standing upright. Understanding its actual location is helpful for comprehending its movements and overall mobility.
Anatomical Location of the Hip Joint
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket articulation. Here, the rounded head of the thigh bone (femur) fits into a cup-shaped depression in the pelvis. This socket, known as the acetabulum, is formed by the fusion of three pelvic bones: the ilium, ischium, and pubis.
Many people mistakenly point to the bony prominence on the side of their waist, often called the “hip bone,” which is actually the iliac crest. The true hip joint lies deeper within the body, positioned more towards the front and center, specifically in the groin area. To locate it, place a finger on the crease at the front of your upper thigh, where your leg meets your torso. Gently rotating your leg inward and outward from this position allows you to feel the movement of the femoral head within its socket.
Bones and Muscles of the Hip Region
The hip joint’s primary bony components are the femoral head, the spherical top of the femur (thigh bone), and the acetabulum, the deep socket within the pelvis. This arrangement allows for extensive motion in multiple directions.
Several powerful muscle groups surround this joint, facilitating movement and providing stability. Hip flexors, at the front, lift the knee towards the chest. Hip extensors, including the gluteus maximus at the back, enable pushing the leg backward. Abductors on the outer side move the leg away from the body’s midline, while adductors on the inner thigh draw the leg inward.
Common Sources of Pain Near the Hip
Pain in the hip region does not always originate from the hip joint itself, which typically manifests as discomfort in the groin or front of the thigh. Many common complaints of “hip pain” are actually felt on the side of the hip or in the buttock area.
One frequent source of lateral hip pain is trochanteric bursitis, an inflammation of the bursa—a fluid-filled sac—located over the greater trochanter, the bony point on the outer upper thigh.
Pain originating from the lower back can also radiate into the buttock and down the leg, often mimicking hip discomfort.
Issues with the sacroiliac (SI) joint, which connects the sacrum to the ilium, commonly present as pain in the low back and buttock region.