Hip bone

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The hip bone is the large flat bone forming the left and right aspects of the pelvis. It is made from three primary bones: the ilium, ischium and pubis. These primary bones fuse into a single hip bone during the adolescent stage of development. Sometimes called the pelvic bone, each hip bone articulates anteriorly with its contralateral counterpart at the pubic symphysis and posteriorly with the sacrum. On its inferolateral surface is the acetabulum, a concave socket that articulates with the femur to form the hip joint. The hip bone has a number of important bony landmarks and provides attachment for many muscles, including muscles of the abdomen, back, buttocks, hip and thigh. It transfers body weight between the lower limbs and axial skeleton and thus has an important role to play in locomotion.

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Browse atlas

Explore the bones and bony landmarks of the hip bone from a medial and lateral perspective in the galleries below.

Summary