Your anatomy
The hip is one of the largest weight-bearing joints in the body and consists of two main parts:
- The ball (femoral head) at the top of your thigh bone (femur)
- The rounded socket (acetabulum) in your pelvis
In a healthy joint, the hip allows rotation and movement of the upper leg from side to side and back to front, enabling a high level of pain-free mobility – walking, sitting, bending, turning, etc. Comprised of bones, muscles, ligaments, cartilage and tendons, each component must work harmoniously within a complex structural relationship in order to support the smooth and painless functioning of the joint.
The hip is a very stable joint – with the ball fitting into the rounded socket or cup-like cavity. Ligaments, (tough chords of tissue) form a capsule connecting the ball to the socket, keeping the bones in position and helping to stabilise and control motion.
The surfaces of the ball and socket are covered by a smooth, tough material called articular cartilage, which cushions the bones and helps them to rotate more easily within the socket. Bursae, fluid-filled sacs, cushion the area where muscles or tendons glide across bone. The rest of the surfaces of the hip joint are covered by a thin, smooth tissue liner called synovial membrane, which secretes a small amount of synovial fluid which lubricates the joint, further reducing friction and facilitating movement.
Important: The information and guidance provided here is general in nature and should not be considered as medical advice in any way. You should always seek detailed advice from a qualified medical practitioner.
