Hip Muscle Anatomy – Complete Guide with Parts, Names, Functions & Diagram

Overview of Hip Muscle Anatomy

The hip joint muscles are necessary for moving, stabilizing the body, and allowing a wide range of motions. Hip muscle anatomy consists of four main categories based on their location and function: the gluteal group, lateral rotator group, adductor group, and iliopsoas group. Seventeen main muscles comprise these groups, but some smaller muscles contribute to hip movements. Together these hip muscles perform multiple tasks at once. The main actions of the hip joint include:

• Flexion: Bringing the thigh toward the belly.
• Lateral Rotation: Rotating the leg outward, as in yoga’s lotus pose.
• Medial Rotation: Turning the leg inward.
• Abduction: Moving the thigh outward, away from the body’s center.
• Adduction: Bringing the thigh back toward the center of the body.

In addition to movement, hip muscles help maintain posture. With the help of the core, neck, shoulder, spine, and lower leg muscles, we can stand and stay balanced. For example, muscles like the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus keep the hips level, prevent swaying, and shift weight smoothly to support balance.

Hip Muscles Anatomy Diagram

Hip Muscle Anatomy

Hip Flexor Muscles Anatomy

The hip flexors are a group of muscles that help move the leg upward toward the body. The main muscles in this group are the psoas major and iliacus, often called the iliopsoas.

The psoas starts from the lower part of your spine, while the iliacus starts inside your pelvis. These two muscles come together and attach to the top of the thigh bone (femur).

The iliopsoas help stabilize your body when you lift, push, or pull. It also brings your knees toward your chest, like when you swing your leg forward while running or kick a ball in sports like soccer.

Iliopsoas

• Psoas Major: The psoas major is a deep muscle that connects the spine to the legs. It extends from the lower back, runs through the pelvis, and attaches to the top of the femur (thigh bone). This muscle plays a key role in lifting the leg towards the body and stabilizing the spine.
• Iliacus: The iliacus muscle lies deep in the pelvis, attaching to the femur. It works closely with the psoas major to flex the hip and rotate the thigh, allowing for efficient leg movement.

Rectus Femoris

The rectus femoris, part of the quadriceps group, stretches from the pelvis to the knee. Its primary job, along with the other quadriceps muscles, is to straighten the knee, which is crucial for walking, running, and standing.

Sartorius

The sartorius muscle begins at the front part of the hip bone, specifically from a point called the anterior superior iliac spine. Further, it travels diagonally across the thigh, moving downward and inward toward the knee.

Near the knee, it curves around the inner side of the thigh bone (femur) and forms a tendon. This tendon joins with the tendons of the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles. Together, they attach to the upper inner part of the shinbone (tibia).

The top part of the sartorius muscle helps form the outer boundary of a region called the femoral triangle on the thigh. Here it crosses over another muscle, the adductor longus to create the triangle’s point.

The sartorius muscle has important roles at both the hip and knee. At the hip, it helps lift the thigh, move it outward, and rotate it to the side. At the knee, it helps bend the leg, and when the knee is bent, it also turns the leg inward.

These combined actions—bending the hip and knee, and rotating the leg—are like the motion used when sitting cross-legged.

Pectineus

The pectineus is a flat, four-sided muscle located at the front and inner part of the upper thigh. It is the most forward of the hip adductor muscles.

The muscle starts at the pectineal line of the pubic bone and also extends slightly from the area between the iliopectineal eminence and the pubic tubercle, along with the fascia that covers its front.

Its fibers run downward, backward, and outward, attaching to the pectineal line on the femur, which links the lesser trochanter and the linea aspera.

The main functions of the pectineus are to help flex and bring the hip inward (adduction), with a secondary role in rotating the thigh slightly inward.

Hip Extensor Muscles Anatomy

Gluteus Maximus

The gluteus maximus is the main muscle that helps straighten the hip, making it essential for standing up, walking, and climbing.

It is the largest and outermost of the three gluteal muscles, shaping much of the buttocks. Along with the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, these muscles are often called the “glutes.”

When the leg bends at the hip, the gluteus maximus contracts to straighten it, bringing the leg in line with the body. This motion also tightens the muscle and slightly tilts the pelvis forward.

The gluteus maximus is large and powerful in humans, helping us stand upright and move efficiently. Other primates, like apes, have flatter hips and can’t stand as upright as humans.

The muscle comprises bundles of smaller muscle fibers arranged in parallel rows, separated by thin layers of connective tissue, giving it strength and structure.

Hamstring Muscles

The hamstring muscles are located at the back of your thigh and are controlled by you, meaning you can move them when you want.

This group has three main muscles that help with everyday leg movements like walking, climbing stairs, and bending down. By tightening and relaxing, your hamstrings give strength and support, which is important for balance and moving around easily.

1. Biceps Femoris

The biceps femoris is one of three hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh, along with the semitendinosus and semimembranosus. It connects the pelvis to the lower leg, making it key for hip and knee movements.

Starting at the ischial tuberosity—a part of the pelvis—it stretches down to attach near the top of the fibula, a bone in the lower leg. Since it crosses both the hip and knee joints, it helps bend (flex) the knee, turn it outward, and extend and rotate the hip.

The biceps femoris has two sections, or “heads.” The long head originates from the lower pelvis, while the short head starts from a ridge on the femur bone.

These two heads join into a single tendon that attaches to the fibula near the knee, giving the muscle strong control over leg movements.

2. Semitendinosus

The semitendinosus is a long, narrow muscle at the thigh’s back. It is part of the hamstring group and the biceps femoris and semimembranosus muscles.

It begins from a part of the pelvic bone called the ischium, sharing a common tendon with the biceps femoris for about 7.5 cm before separating. Halfway down the thigh, the semitendinosus becomes a long tendon traveling along the knee’s inner side.

It curves around the inside of the shinbone (tibia), crosses over a ligament on the inner knee, and attaches to the upper inner edge of the tibia, close to the front.

The semitendinosus helps bend the knee and straighten the hip. When the knee is bent, it turns the shin inward, and when the hip is straightened, it turns the thigh inward slightly.

Together with the other hamstrings, it helps stabilize forward movement at the hips, playing an essential role in walking, running, and other leg movements by maintaining balance and efficiency.

3. Semimembranosus

The semimembranosus muscle is one of the three main hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh, sitting furthest inward.

It is named for its unique, flat tendon at the top. This broader and flatter muscle lies beneath the nearby semitendinosus muscle, which attaches to similar areas on the thigh and lower leg.

The semimembranosus has several important functions. It helps straighten the hip and bend the knee. When the knee is bent, it rotates slightly inward, turning the lower leg inward toward the body.

If the hip is already straightened, it also helps turn the thigh inward. By providing stability, this muscle plays a key role in keeping the hip joint steady when leaning forward or balancing.

Hip Abductor Muscles Anatomy

Hip abduction is moving the leg away from the body’s centerline. The muscles responsible for this movement are known as the hip abductors.

It is crucial in stabilizing the pelvis, especially during walking and running. These muscles control the hip joint’s abduction and rotation, ensuring smooth movement.

Hip abductors are essential for maintaining balance during walking, particularly when one leg supports the body weight.

For example, when the right leg is on the ground, and the left leg is swinging forward, the right hip abductors work hard to prevent the pelvis from tilting to the left.

If these muscles are weak, the pelvis becomes unstable, making it difficult to walk properly or even stand on one leg.

Gluteus Medius

The Gluteus medius is the main muscle responsible for moving the leg away from the body (hip abduction). It sits on the outer side of the upper buttock, just below the hip bone.

This wide muscle narrows into a tendon, creating a fan-like shape. The front part of the Gluteus medius helps lift the leg out to the side and also aids in bending the hip and turning the leg inward.

The back part of the muscle also helps with abduction, but it works to extend the hip and rotate the leg outward.

Gluteus Minimus

The gluteus minimus is a fan-shaped muscle that lies beneath the gluteus medius. It originates between the hip bone’s anterior and inferior gluteal lines and angles downward and outward.

Eventually, it joins the gluteus medius to attach to the greater trochanter of the femur. This muscle shares the same nerve supply as the gluteus medius—the superior gluteal nerve, stemming from spinal nerves L4 to S1.

Functionally, it stabilizes the hip, abducts the thigh, and maintains pelvic balance during movement, particularly while walking.

Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL)

The Tensor fasciae latae (TFL) is found within the iliotibial (IT) band on the thigh’s outer front part. It works with the gluteal muscles to help with hip movements like flexing, lifting the leg to the side, and turning it inward. Its main job is to help stabilize the pelvis when standing or walking.

Hip Adductor Muscles Anatomy

The hip adductors are in the same compartment, so they share blood supply and nerve connections. Their blood comes from the obturator artery, which branches from the internal iliac artery and returns via the obturator to the internal iliac vein.

Most hip adductors are connected to the obturator nerve (from spinal levels L2 to L4). However, the pectineus muscle is an exception, linked to the femoral nerve (L2 to L3).

The adductor magnus muscle also has a nerve connection to the sciatic nerve (L4).

Adductor Longus

The adductor longus is a flat, fan-shaped muscle that runs from the front of the pubic bone to the inner edge of the linea aspera on the femur. It is positioned closest to the front among the adductor muscles.

It is located ahead of parts of the adductor brevis and adductor magnus. This muscle also helps form the base of the femoral triangle, with its outer edge marking the triangle’s inner boundary alongside the pectineus.

Additionally, the adductor longus contributes to the back wall of the adductor canal with the adductor magnus. Its primary roles include flexing and adducting the thigh (drawing it inward), rotating the thigh outward, and providing pelvic stability at the hip joint.

Adductor Brevis

The adductor brevis is a triangular muscle located in the inner thigh. It sits behind the pectineus and adductor longus muscles but lies in front of the adductor magnus.

Adductor Brevis originates from the pubic bone just above the gracilis and attaches to the femur along the linea aspera. It is positioned laterally to the pectineus and adductor longus.

You shall find the obturator canal at the upper part of the adductor brevis. It is a passageway for the obturator artery, vein, and nerve as these move from the pelvis to the thigh.

After exiting the canal, the obturator nerve divides into two branches. These branches travel along the front and back of the adductor brevis.

The adductor brevis helps to adduct (draw the thigh toward the body’s center), flex (raise the thigh forward), and externally rotate (turn the thigh outward) at the hip. It also plays a role in maintaining pelvis stability.

Adductor Magnus

The adductor magnus is a large, fan-shaped muscle on the inner side of the thigh. It connects the hip bone to the femur (thigh bone) and spans the back and inner thigh regions.

Because of its unique placement, it’s controlled by two different nerves. Even though it reaches both the back and inner thigh, it’s considered part of the thigh adductor muscles, which help pull the legs inward.

This adductor group consists of five muscles: the adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, pectineus, and gracilis.

Together, these muscles help move the legs toward each other, assist in bending and extending the thigh, rotate the leg, and keep the pelvis stable while walking.

As the biggest and strongest part of the group, the adductor magnus played a key role in these important movements.

Pectineus

The pectineus muscle, the topmost of the hip adductor muscles, has a flat, rectangular shape. It originates from the pectineal line on the pubic bone, extending sideways beneath the inguinal ligament and attaching to the femur’s pectineal line and linea aspera.

Alongside the adductor longus, it creates the base of the femoral triangle, with its inner edge marking the triangle’s outer border.

Functionally, the pectineus aids in flexing, adducting, and rotating the thigh at the hip joint, helping to stabilize the pelvis.

Unlike other muscles in the thigh’s medial compartment, it is usually controlled by the femoral nerve (L2-L3) rather than the obturator nerve. However, natural variations can also lead to innervation by the obturator nerve.

Gracilis

The gracilis is the most superficial and medial muscle of the inner thigh. It is a thin, strap-like muscle extending from the pelvis’s ischiopubic ramus down to the tibia’s inner side.

This tibial attachment is shared with the sartorius and semitendinosus muscles, forming the pes anserinus. An easy way to remember these muscles is “Say Grace Sarah,” representing the sartorius, gracilis, and semitendinosus.

The gracilis crosses both the hip and knee joints, affecting movement at each. It aids in thigh adduction (drawing the thigh inward) and helps flex the hip.

At the knee, it assists in flexion (bending) and slight internal rotation (turning inward), making it a key player in coordinated lower limb movement.

Hip External Rotator Muscles Anatomy

Piriformis

The piriformis is a small, pear-shaped muscle deep in the gluteal region. Its name comes from Latin roots, where pirum means “pear” and forma means “shape.”

This muscle starts at the front of the sacrum (the bone at the base of the spine) and stretches backward and downward to connect to the top part of the femur (thigh bone) at the greater trochanter.

As it passes through an opening in the pelvis called the greater sciatic foramen, it divides this space into two parts: the suprapiriform and infrapiriform foramina.

The superior gluteal nerves and blood vessels pass through the suprapiriform foramen (above the piriformis). In contrast, the inferior gluteal nerves and vessels pass below it through the infrapiriform foramen. The “nerve to piriformis” controls the piriformis, which branches off spinal nerves S1 and S2.

Obturator Internus

The obturator internus muscle starts from the inner surface of the obturator membrane and nearby areas of the ischium and pubic bone. It passes out of the pelvis through a small opening called the lesser sciatic foramen.

So part of it lies within the pelvis, while the rest is positioned behind the hip joint. This muscle primarily helps rotate the thigh outward when the hip is straightened and assists with thigh abduction when the hip is bent.

Additionally, it helps keep the femoral head securely in the hip socket. It supports the alignment and stability of the hip joint.

Obturator Externus

The obturator externus is a flat, triangle-shaped muscle near the hip joint. It begins at the front of the obturator membrane and the edges of the foramen, a circular opening in the pelvic bone.

Its fibers stretch backward and outward, going under the hip joint and neck of the thigh bone. Finally, attaching to a spot on the thigh bone called the trochanteric fossa.

This muscle mainly helps rotate the thigh outward and assists with pulling it inward (adduction) at the hip. It also helps stabilize the hip by keeping the head of the thigh bone in its socket. Due to its role in adducting the thigh, it is sometimes included in the group of hip adductor muscles.

Inferior Gemellus

The inferior gemellus is a small muscle in the deep gluteal area of the upper leg. It is a part of a trio known as the triceps coxae or “hip triceps.”

This group includes two other muscles: the superior gemellus and the obturator internus. The Gemelli muscles (both superior and inferior) are smaller and mainly support the actions of the stronger obturator internus.

The inferior gemellus connects the ischium (part of the hip bone) to the greater trochanter (a bony prominence) of the femur. This placement qualifies it as an inner hip muscle.

When it contracts, it helps to rotate the thigh outward and also assists in moving the thigh away from the body when the thigh is bent.

Additionally, it plays a role in stabilizing the femur’s head within the hip socket, ensuring smooth hip joint movement.

Superior Gemellus

The superior gemellus is a small, deep muscle located in the back of the pelvis. It is hidden beneath larger muscles like the gluteus maximus.

It is part of a group called the deep gluteal muscles, which includes other muscles like the piriformis, obturator internus, obturator externus, inferior gemellus, and quadratus femoris.

These muscles work together to stabilize the hip joint and support various movements. They help rotate and lift the thigh outward, which is especially useful when walking or balancing.

Both the superior and inferior gemelli have similar shapes and are important for keeping the hip steady and mobile.

Quadratus Femoris

The quadratus femoris is a small, flat muscle located deep in the gluteal region near the hip. Although it’s not large, it plays an important role in how we move.

This muscle helps stabilize the hip joint by holding the thigh bone (femur) in the right position. It mainly works to rotate the thigh outward, which turns the leg slightly to the side, a natural stance for standing and walking.

Depending on the position of the thigh, the quadratus femoris can also help move the leg closer to or farther from the body.

Gluteus Maximus

The gluteus maximus is the largest and most visible muscle in the buttock and hip region. It is a thick and fleshy muscle that has a quadrangular form and slants downwards at about a 45-degree angle toward its attachment points.

It originates from several areas: the back part of the ilium, the lateral side of the sacrum, the sacrotuberous ligament, and the lumbar fascia. The gluteus maximus has two main attachment sites.

The outer fibers connect to the iliotibial tract, while the inner fibers attach to the gluteal tuberosity on the femur. It is positioned between the adductor magnus and vastus lateralis muscles.

Its primary role is to act as a strong stabilizer when sitting, helping to control hip flexion. The gluteus maximus mainly extends and externally rotates the thigh.

It only engages fully when additional force is needed, working alongside the semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles to perform these actions effectively.

Sartorius

The sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body. It is a long, thin muscle that lies on the front of the thigh. This muscle starts at the anterior superior iliac spine, which is a bony point on the pelvis. It extends diagonally across the thigh toward the knee.

Although the sartorius helps move the hip and knee joints, its actions are relatively weak, so it acts as a synergist muscle rather than a primary mover. At the hip, it can flex the thigh, weakly abduct it (move it away from the body), and rotate it outward.

At the knee, it primarily helps to bend the leg and can also rotate the leg inward when the knee is bent. A common way to see all these actions in play is when a person sits cross-legged.

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External Sources-

• Wikipedia
• KenHub
• Optometrists
• Cleveland Clinic
• American Academy of Ophthalmology