Hip is a word used for many areas, and can lead to some confusion in healthcare. When people speak of “hip pain” they may be referring to the outside of their upper leg, their low back, their buttock region, or the sides of their torso. Today we’ll give you a more detailed explanation – including pictures!
What is commonly called the “hip bone” is actually made up of several parts. When you put your hands on your hips, you are touching the top pelvic bone called the ilium. There is a right ilium and a left ilium that connect in the middle.
They connect in the front at the “pubic symphysis”, a few inches below your navel. On the back side they connect at the sacroiliac joints. With your hands on the hips, the thumbs point backward to these joints at the bottom of your spine.
When you touch the side of your “hip” up at the top of your leg, you are pushing over a part of the long femur bone that juts outward to be a place for muscles to attach. Straight in and a little up from there is where the “hip joint” of your leg bone attaches to the side of your pelvic bone.
Technically, this is called the femoroacetabular joint because the “femur” bone connects with the cup-like “acetabulum” of the pelvic bone.
Return next week, when we discuss chiropractic treatment for hip pain.