Covers the hip joint as a multiaxial ball-and-socket synovial joint linking the pelvis and femur, starting with its general function and articular surfaces. It then describes the labrum, transverse ligament and fibrous capsule, before setting out the extracapsular and intracapsular ligaments with their attachments and actions. The note closes with blood supply, nerve supply under Hilton's law, and the muscles producing each movement.
Topic 20 of 236 in the MU Pleven syllabus for Anatomy Bones and Muscles (Medicine, Year 2). The free AceMed note covers it in 9 sections, about 258 words (2 min of reading), with 14 flashcards.
In this note
Hip joint.
General
Articular Surfaces
Type of Joint
Capsule
Ligaments of the Hip Joint
Blood Supply
Nerve Supply (Hilton’s law)
Movements of Hip Joint
General
The hip joint is the connection between the pelvis and the femur.
It is a ball-and-socket synovial joint → highly mobile, very strong.
Function: supports body weight, important in standing, walking, running.
Articular Surfaces
Head of femur (2/3 of a sphere, covered by hyaline cartilage except fovea capitis).
Acetabulum of hip bone (deep socket, horseshoe-shaped articular surface covered by cartilage).
Acetabular labrum → fibrocartilage rim that deepens the socket.
Transverse acetabular ligament → closes the acetabular notch at the inferior margin.
Type of Joint
Synovial ball-and-socket joint.
Multiaxial → movements in several planes.
Capsule
Strong fibrous capsule, attached:
Proximally → around acetabulum (outside labrum).
Distally → to intertrochanteric line (anteriorly) and halfway along neck of femur (posteriorly).
Ligaments of the Hip Joint
1. Extracapsular (thickenings of capsule)
Iliofemoral ligament (Y-shaped)
From anterior inferior iliac spine → intertrochanteric line.
Strongest ligament in body.
Prevents hyperextension of hip in standing.
Pubofemoral ligament
From pubic bone → blends with capsule & iliofemoral ligament.
Prevents excessive abduction & extension.
Ischiofemoral ligament
From ischium → spirals around femoral neck.
Prevents hyperextension.
2. Intracapsular
Ligament of head of femur (ligamentum teres)
From acetabular notch → fovea capitis on femoral head.
Carries a small artery to femoral head (from obturator artery)
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