Anatomy and Biomechanics of the Hip

ABSTRACT

The ball and socket structure of the hip joint allows a wide range of motion that is exceeded in no other joint of the body except the shoulder. At the same time, a remarkable degree of stability is provided by the close fit of the femoral head into the acetabulum and its deepening lip, the glenoid labrum, and by the support of the strongest capsular ligaments and the thickest musculature of the body. Of all the joints, the hip is most deeply situated. This relative inaccessibility increases the difficulty of diagnosing hip lesions, rendering thorough operative exposure of the joint arduous. Precise knowledge about the anatomy of the hip joint and its surrounding structures help orthopaedic surgeons diagnose and treat various diseases and trauma around the hip joint. An understanding of the biomechanics of the hip is vital to advancing the diagnosis and treatment of many pathologic conditions. Benefits from advances in hip biomechanics include the evaluation of joint function, the development of therapeutic programs for treatment of joint problems, procedures for planning reconstructive surgeries, and the design and development of total hip prostheses. Biomechanical principles also provide a valuable perspective to our understanding of the mechanism of injury to the hip, to femoroacetabular impingement, and to the etiology of degenerative hip disease.