hip anatomy

Muscles of the hip and Thigh – Human Anatomy?

Muscles of the hip:

Anterior hip muscles: Large one you can see from an anterior perspective and highlight in green, which is the psoas major muscle. The psoas major originates from the bodies of the vertebrate T12 to L4 and the costal processes of the vertebrae L1 to L5.

vertebrae L1 to L5

Located a bit more laterally, we find another muscle which is known as the iliacus muscle.

iliacus muscle

The iliacus muscle originates from the iliac fossa. The psoas major and the iliacus are usually distinguished as one muscle, and this is known as the iliopsoas muscle.

iliopsoas muscle

These muscles have different points of origin, however, they come together to pass underneath the inguinal ligament and into the region of the thigh to insert onto the lesser trochanter of the femur.

trochanter of the femur

The last muscle of the anterior hip, we are going to be talking about is the psoas minor muscle. This is a small muscle that runs along the surface of the psoas major. This muscle is sometimes not mentioned as it is often absent. Around about 40%-70% of people do not have this muscle.

psoas minor muscle

Anterior Hip Muscles: Function/Innervation/Blood Supply

Function: The iliopsoas is the most powerful flexor of the thigh at the hip joint.
Innervation: The lumbar plexus innervates the psoas major and psoas minor muscles.
Blood Supply: The iliopsoas muscle receives its blood supply from the iliolumbar artery and the medial femoral circumflex artery.

Muscles of the hip: Superficial gluteal muscles

There are four superficial gluteal muscles,

1. Gluteus maximus muscle:

It’s the most famous muscle that defines the buttocks. The gluteus maximus originates from the surface of the ilium posterior to the posterior gluteal line and the posterior inferior surface of the sacrum and the coccyx.

Gluteus maximus muscle

It inserts onto the gluteal tuberosity of the femur and the iliotibial tract.

2. Gluteus medius muscle:

The gluteus medius originates from the gluteal surface of the ilium and inserts onto the greater trochanter.

Gluteus medius muscle

3. Gluteus minimus muscle:

Deep to the gluteus medium muscle, we find the gluteus minimus. The gluteus minimus also originates from the gluteal surface of the ilium. Inserts onto the greater trochanter of the femur.

Gluteus minimus muscle

4. Superficial gluteal muscle:

The muscle extends from its origin at the anterior superior iliac line to its insertion at the iliotibial tract.

Superficial gluteal muscle

Muscles of the hip: Superficial gluteal muscles (Function/Blood Supply)

Function: Extension, Abduction, Rotation of the thigh at the hip joint, Stabilize the pelvis.

Blood supply: The muscles receive their blood supply from the superior gluteal artery and the inferior gluteal artery.

Muscles of the Hip Deep Gluteal:

Piriformis muscle: The muscle originates from the pelvic surface of the sacrum and is insert onto the greater trochanter of the femur.

Obturator internus muscle: The obturator internus originates from the obturator membrane and inserts onto the greater trochanter and trochanteric fossa.

Superior gemellus muscle: This muscle originates from the ischial spine and inserts onto the greater trochanter of the femur.

Inferior gemellus muscle: The inferior gemellus originates from the tuberosity of the ischium and inserts onto the greater trochanter.

Quadratus femoris muscle: This muscle originates from the tuberosity of the ischium and inserts into the intertrochanteric crest.

Muscles of the Hip Deep Gluteal: (Function/Innervation/Blood Supply)

Functions: lateral rotation of the thigh at the hip joint.

Innervation: Is supplied by the sacral plexus.

Blood supply: The muscle receive their blood supply from the superior gluteal artery and the inferior gluteal artery.

Muscles of the Thigh: Anterior Compartments

Sartorius muscle: This is the longest muscle in the human body and it extends from its origin at the anterior superior iliac spine. All the way to its insertion on the medial surface of the tibia.

This muscle has various functions including flexion of the thigh and knee, lateral rotation of the thigh, and medial rotation of the knee.

Quadriceps femoris muscle: The muscle is formed by four muscles –the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus medialis.

These muscles all have different sites of origin. However, they all insert into the quadriceps tendon.

Let’s take a look at these muscles individually, located most anteriorly, we have the rectus femoris muscle, and this muscle originates from the anterior inferior iliac spine and the supraacetabular sulcus.

supraacetabular sulcus

The vastus lateralis muscle is located laterally and it originated from the linea aspera femoris and the greater trochanter.

vastus lateralis muscle

In the middle, we can see another vastus which is known as the vastus intermedius muscle, and this muscle originates from the shaft of the femur.

vastus intermedius muscle

The next muscle is found medially and is known as the vastus medially muscle. This muscle originates from the linea aspera femoris and the intertrochanteric line.

vastus medially muscle

The last muscle of the anterior compartment is the articularis genu muscle, and it lies deep to the vastus intermedius

articularis genu muscle

This small flat muscle originates from the anterior distal femoral shaft and inserts onto the knee joint capsule.

Muscles of the anterior compartment:

Function:

Extension of the leg at the knee joint.
Flexion the thigh at the hip joint.

Innervation:

These muscles receive their innervation from the femoral nerve and their blood supply from the femoral artery and the deep femoral artery.

Muscles of the thigh: Medial compartment

Obturator externus muscle: This muscle originates from the obturator foramen and the obturator membrane and inserts at the trochanteric fossa.

Obturator externus muscle

The pectineus muscle originates from the iliopubic eminence and the pectineal line of the pubic bone and inserts at the linea asper femoris and the pectineal line of the femur.

pectineus muscle

Located most medially, the gracilis muscle is an exception within this group of the thigh muscles because it inserts on the tibia. The muscle originals from the inferior pubic ramus insert on the proximal medial surface of the tibia.

Gracilis Muscle

Adductors of the Thigh:

Adductor Brevis muscle: The word Brevis means ‘short’ in Latin and adductor brevis is quite a short muscle. This muscle originates from the inferior pubic ramus and inserts on the linea aspera femoris.

Adductor brevis muscle

Adductor longus muscle: The adductor longus originates from the pubic symphysis and the superior pubic ramus and inserts on the linea aspera femoris.

Adductor longus muscle

Adductor Magnus muscle: This muscle originates from the inferior pubic ramus, ramus of the ischium, and tuberosity of the ischium. It inserts on the linea aspera femoris and the adductor tubercle.

Adductor Magnus muscle

Adductor minimus muscle: The adductor minimus originates from the inferior pubic ramus and inserts on the linea aspera femoris.

Adductor minimus muscle

Muscles of the Thigh: Posterior compartment

The muscles of the posterior compartment are also known as the hamstring muscles.

Biceps femoris muscle: It originates from the Sacrotuberous ligament, linea Aspera femoris, and tuberosity of the ischium. It then inserts onto the head of the fibula.

Biceps femoris muscle

Semitendinosus muscle: This muscle is located medially, and muscle originates from the sacrotuberous ligament and tuberosity of the ischium and it inserts on the proximal tibia medial to the tibial tuberosity.

Semitendinosus muscle

Semimembranosus muscle: This muscle originates from the tuberosity of the ischium and inserts on the medial condyle of the tibia and the oblique popliteal ligament.

Semimembranosus muscle

For further advice do reach out to your local doctor or family doctor.

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Hip Joint – Bones, ligaments, blood supply and innervation |Anatomy|

We are going to be looking at the hip joint, its articulations, movements, blood supply, and innervation.

So, the hip joint is a ball and socket synovial joint, forming the connection between the lower limb and the pelvic girdle.

And the hip joint is also multi-axial meaning that it rotates on more than one axis. Which allows for a wider range of movement. Of course, the hip joint is designed for stability and weight-bearing.

Hip joint

The head of the femur articulates with the lunate surface of the acetabulum of the pelvis.

Head of femur

The lunate surface is concave, which is like the shape of a crescent moon as the name lunate suggests. And the hip joint can also be referred to as the acetabulofemoral joint.

lunate surface

Both the lunate surface of the acetabulum and the head of the femur are covered by hyaline cartilage. And hyaline cartilage is simple cartilage found on many articulating surfaces.

So, the acetabulum is the part of the pelvis where the ilium, ischium, and pubis bones merge and its concave almost entirely encompasses the head of the femur. Which contributes to the stability of the joint.

Hip-Bones-Pelvic-Girdle

At the center of the acetabulum is a non-articulating surface which is known as the acetabular fossa. This part of the acetabulum contains loose connective tissue.

acetabular fossa

The acetabular labrum is the fibrocartilaginous collar or lip that surrounds the bony rim of the acetabulum and it bridges across the acetabular notch.

acetabular notch

The labrum of the acetabulum increases the stability of the hip joint by deepening the acetabulum and increasing the area of articulation with the head of the femur.

labrum of the acetabulum

The ball of the ball and socket hip joint is the rounded head of the femur. Which sits within the concavity of the acetabulum, which is our socket of the joint.

The head of the femur is entirely covered by hyaline cartilage except for an area called fovea capitis femoris.

fovea capitis femoris

This is where the ligament of the head of the femur connects the femur at the fovea to the acetabular fossa, the transverse acetabular ligament, and the margins of the acetabular notch.

margins of the acetabular notch

Capsule OF the Hip Joint:

So, the joint capsule of the hip joint attaches to the acetabular labrum and the transverse acetabular ligament proximally but is underneath the fibrous capsule.

underneath the fibrous capsule

The joint capsule is a strong fibrous capsule that can accommodate a wide range of movements and the capsule is strengthened and reinforced by the help of three ligaments.

Anteriorly and superiorly by the iliofemoral ligament, which connects the anterior and inferior iliac spine and the acetabular rim to the femoral intertrochanteric line. The iliofemoral ligament is the strongest of the hip joint ligaments.

iliofemoral ligament

Inferiorly and anteriorly, the pubofemoral ligaments arise from the obturator crest and the superior ramus of the pubis and blend with the capsule and the medial part of the iliofemoral ligament.

ischiofemoral ligament

Posteriorly, the ischiofemoral ligament seen here from a posterior view connects the ischial part of the acetabular rim of the neck of the femur.

The fibers from the three ligaments are arranged in a spiral fashion around the hip joint which helps stabilize the joint by pulling the head of the femur medially into the acetabulum.

This reduces the amount of muscle energy required to maintain a standing position and prevents the hyperextension of the hip as well as excessive abduction.

Movements of the Hip Joint:

So the range of hip movement in the hip joint include

Flexion – Movement of the leg forward
Extension – Movement of the leg backward
Abduction – Movement of the leg laterally
Adduction – Movement of the leg medially towards the midline of the body
Medial rotation – Internal rotation of the thigh towards the midline.
Lateral rotation – Outward rotation of the thigh from the midline of the body.
Circumduction – Conical precise 360degree movement of the leg.

Blood Supply of the Hip Joint:

Blood is supplied to the hip joint primarily by the medial and lateral circumflex femoral arteries – the medial shown on the left and the lateral shown on the right. Both of these arise from the deep femoral artery.

deep femoral artery

And also by the artery to the head of the femur which runs within the ligament of the head of the femur which is shown in green and the artery to the head of the femur is a branch of the obturator artery.

obturator artery

Innervation of the Hip Joint:

(Green color indicates nerve)

1. Innervation of the hip joint comes anteriorly from the femoral nerve.

anteriorly from the femoral nerve

2. Inferiorly from an articular branch of the anterior division of the obturator nerve.

anterior division of the obturator nerve

3. Poster superiorly from the superior gluteal nerve.
4. Laterally from the articular branch of the sciatic nerve.

sciatic nerve.

For further advice do reach out to your local doctor or family doctor.

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Diagnosis of hip fracture

Hip fracture is known to be the most common fracture. It is especially prevalent in older people. After age 65, human bones become weak and it almost requires surgery. This injury can often be life-threatening. Thus it needs to be treated quickly. Before taking any decision let’s get to know about how to diagnose the hip fracture.

During a physical exam, the doctor will ask for your complete medical history. Also, the physician will look for any injuries commonly associated with hip fractures. To determine whether an open fracture has occurred, the doctor will examine any lacerations and determine how stable the hip is will press on the front and back of the pelvic area. To look for haemorrhage that may signify bone penetration into the rectum, a rectal examination also may be performed.

Tests for a broken hip:-

X-ray

X-radiation or commonly known as X-ray uses invisible high energy electromagnetic radiation to produce images of internal tissues, bones and organs onto film. It is usually sufficient for the majority of fractures.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

It is a medical imaging technique that uses a combination of large magnets, radio frequencies and a computer. It is used to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body; especially useful for assessing soft tissue around injured joints and bones.

Computed tomography scan (CT scan)

It uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce 3D cross-sectional images, both horizontally and vertically, of the affected area, including bones, fat, soft tissue.

Bone scan

It uses a radioactive dye to visualize the bones. It’s different from plain x-rays or CT in that because of a nuclear medicine imaging technique, it shows bone metabolism and cell activity in the bones. Bone scans are used to assess including cancer of the bone or metastasis, location of bone inflammation and fractures, and bone infection.

This is how one can diagnose a hip fracture. We recommend you to visit a doctor instead of doing it by yourself. We hope this information adds value to your knowledge. Watch out this space for more such information. Greetings for SYS Medtech International PVT. LTD.