Learn about the dynamics of physical mobility, hip anatomy and function to gain a deeper understanding of body health.
The hip joint is a crucial part of the human anatomy, enabling mobility and supporting body weight. It’s a complex structure, critical for a range of movements from walking to jumping. Understanding the hip’s anatomy and function is key to recognizing how it can be damaged and what treatments are available for hip-related pain and disorders.
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint formed by the femur’s head (the ball) and the acetabulum of the pelvic bone (the socket). This structure allows for both stability and a wide range of motion.
Acting as a cushion, the cartilage minimizes friction and wear in the joint, facilitating smooth movement.
Ligaments connect bones and provide joint stability, while tendons attach muscles to bones, enabling movement.
Key muscles supporting the hip include the gluteal muscles, which power the hip during walking and running, and the iliopsoas, which are crucial for hip flexion.
The rest of the surfaces of the hip joint are covered by a thin, smooth tissue liner called the synovial membrane, which makes a small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant so that the bones in the hip joint will not rub against each other.
Pain in your hip can be debilitating, making it difficult for you to walk, climb stairs, or even pick up an object from the floor. It can limit your freedom of movement and ability to function independently. While hip pain can be caused by deformity or by direct injury, like trauma or a sports injury, the most common cause of hip pain is osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD). Depending on factors like age, weight, joint function, and activity, people with arthritis find their hip’s cartilage lining wears away over time. At that point, your bones begin to rub against each other, resulting in friction, swelling, pain, stiffness, and instability.
Experiencing joint pain day after day without relief can lead to “staying off” the joint – which often weakens the muscles around it, so it becomes even more difficult to move.
Hip replacement surgery involves replacing the femur (head of the thigh bone) and the acetabulum (hip socket). Typically, the artificial ball with its stem is made of a strong metal or ceramic, and the artificial socket is made of polyethylene (a durable, wear-resistant plastic) or metal backed with a plastic liner. The artificial joint may be cemented in position or held securely in the bone without cement.
