Understanding Your Hips

Your hips are involved in almost every movement you make — whether you’re walking, running, sitting, bending, or simply standing upright.

But despite how important they are, most people don’t think much about their hips until something starts to hurt.

The hip joint is one of the strongest and most mobile joints in your body, designed to support your weight while still allowing for an impressive range of motion.

To do that, your hips rely on a complex system of bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fluid-filled structures all working together smoothly.

When one part of that system becomes irritated, injured, or worn down, it can affect everything from your balance and flexibility to your ability to stay active comfortably.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at:

• How your hips are structured and how they function
• The different muscles, bones, and tissues that support hip movement
• Common hip conditions and causes of hip pain
• And practical ways to keep your hips healthy and strong

If hip pain or stiffness is already affecting your mobility or daily activities, early treatment can help prevent symptoms from becoming more limiting over time.

Let’s explore how your hips work — and what you can do to keep them moving well for years to come.

What Are Your Hips?

Your hips are large ball-and-socket joints that connect your legs to your pelvis.

In fact, your hips have several different components, including:

• Bones
• Cartilage
• Muscles
• Ligaments and tendons
• Synovial membranes and synovial fluid

These parts work together to help you stand, sit, and move.

When all these parts are working well, they protect one another from injury and wear and tear.

When one part of the hip becomes injured, irritated, or worn down, it can affect movement, balance, and overall mobility.

According to Peak Orthopedics and Spine, hip injuries and diseases can affect your body’s range of motion and strength.

Let’s take a look at the different parts of your hips.

Hip Bones

The hip joint is also called the acetabulofemoral joint.

As the name suggests, these joints connect the acetabulum and femoral head.

You’ve probably heard of your femur, as we’ve discussed it in a past blog post.

As the longest bone in your body, your femur supports your hips in their various movements.

Your acetabulum, which you might also know as the cotyloid cavity, is part of the structure of the hip bone and pelvis.

The acetabulum is formed where the ilium, ischium, and pubis meet to create the socket portion of the hip joint.

In this ball-and-socket joint, the acetabulum forms the socket while the head of the femur forms the ball.

Hip Cartilage

Articular cartilage lines both your femoral head and acetabulum.

This special type of cartilage is strong, flexible, and very smooth and slippery.

The slippery surface of the articular cartilage makes it easy for your femur to glide against the acetabulum when you move.

Your hip also has a labrum, which is a strong, stretchy ring of cartilage that lines the outer edge of the acetabulum.

This ring deepens your joints, and its elasticity adds flexibility.

Hip Muscles

Your hip joint is connected to several surrounding muscles.

These muscles support your hip and help you move smoothly and safely.

Several major muscle groups support hip movement and stability, including:

• Adductors, your inner thigh muscles
• Gluteal muscles, which form the buttocks and support hip stability
• Hamstrings, which run along the back of your thigh
• Iliopsoas, a group of three muscles connecting the lower back to the top of the femur
• Quadriceps, four muscles that make up the front of your thigh

RELATED ARTICLE: What Happens When You Pull a Muscle?

Hip Ligaments and Tendons

Ligaments and tendons help to keep all the pieces of your hip together.

Your ligaments connect your femur to the pelvis, holding the bone in place in the socket.

Tendons connect your femur and pelvis to the surrounding muscles.

When tendons and ligaments are strong and flexible, they control movement and provide structure, reducing stress on your hip.

Synovial Membrane and Fluid

Your synovial membranes and synovial fluid help keep your joint connected and lubricated.

You have several synovial joints in your body.

In these joints, a thin membrane called the synovial membrane encapsulates the area where your bones come together.

Synovial fluid helps reduce friction between the bones and cartilage in your joint.

Where Is Your Femur?

Your femur is your thigh bone.

It is the longest bone in your body, and generally the strongest.

The upper end, the femoral head, is the part of the femur that connects to the pelvis to form the hip joint.

Your femur extends all the way down to your knee.

The lower end of the femur is a larger section of bone that forms the upper part of your knee joint.

What Do Your Hips Do?

The hip is a unique joint.

It’s a strong, weight-bearing joint, but it also has an incredible range of motion.

Your hip can flex, as it does when you raise your leg to take a step forward.

Your hip can also extend, as it does when you push off into your next step.

Moving your leg laterally (from side to side) requires abduction or adduction of your hip.

Moving your leg away from your body is called abduction.

Moving your leg back toward the midline of your body is called adduction.

Finally, your hip can rotate both internally and externally.

Internal rotation happens when you turn your leg so that your toes point inward.

External rotation occurs when your leg and foot rotate outward.

Common Health Challenges With Your Hips

Many people experience hip trouble, especially as the cartilage and tissues of the joint wear down with age.

Hip pain can have many causes, including injury, disease, and wear and tear from age, sports, or physically demanding work.

Some of the most common health challenges with hips are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and bursitis.

Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

1. Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs with wear and tear.

The University of California Davis Health lists it as the most common form of arthritis.

This is unsurprising, considering the amount of wear and tear the average person experiences in their hips over time.

Over time, this wear and tear gradually breaks down the cartilage in the hip joint, leaving your femur and acetabulum unprotected.

Without healthy cartilage, the joint can no longer move as smoothly.

When you move, the bones of your hip will rub together, causing chronic pain and stiffness.

RELATED ARTICLE: Physical Therapy Treatments for Osteoarthritis

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that leads to swelling, aches, and stiff joints.

Your synovial membrane becomes irritated and produces too much fluid.

This is caused by your immune system mistaking it for a pathogen and attacking it.

Researchers don’t yet know why your body might react this way.

Over time, this inflammation can damage cartilage and contribute to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility.

There are various different natural treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, including physical therapy.

RELATED ARTICLE: Physical Therapy Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis

3. Bursitis

Bursa are fluid filled sacs that pad your joints and reduce friction between different tissues in your body.

Bursitis occurs when one of these sacs develops inflammation.

You have two bursae in each of your hips, the ischial bursa and the trochanteric bursa.

The ischial bursa is deep in your body and prevents friction between the pelvis and the gluteal muscles.

The trochanteric bursa pads the outer side of the hip.

Separated from the joint by tissue and bone, inflammation of the trochanteric bursa is much more common than ischial bursitis.

RELATED ARTICLE: Physical Therapy for Bursitis in Your Hips

How To Keep Your Hips Healthy

Hip health relies on strength, flexibility, a good supply of nutrients, and a little bit of protection.

Exercise, eating a well-balanced diet, and protecting your hips from damage are great ways to support your hip health.

1. Exercise

Regular exercise is one of the best ways to support long-term hip health.

Strength and flexibility in the muscles and tendons of the hip are key to keeping the joint stable and well supported.

Exercises that improve strength, balance, flexibility, and range of motion can help support healthy hip function.

If you already have some hip pain or arthritis, low impact activities can strengthen the joint without irritating it.

Try adding walking, yoga, Pilates, cycling, or swimming and aquatic aerobics into your wellness program.

These are great examples of physical activities that don’t stress your joints.

If you already have hip pain, limiting high-impact activities may help reduce additional stress on the joint.

If you experience sharp or shooting pain while exercising, it’s best to stop immediately and talk to your physical therapist.

2. Eat Well

Eating a diet that is rich in nutrients can help prevent the inflammation that contributes to many people’s hip pain.

Foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids are great for inflammatory conditions and overall health.

Omega 3 fatty acid rich foods include:

• Olive oil
• Avocado
• Walnuts
• Flax seeds
• Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and herring

Antioxidant rich foods, such as berries and dark leafy greens, can also protect your body from inflammation and tissue damage.

3. Protect Your Joints

Good posture and preventing injuries are secret weapons when it comes to hip health.

Standing, walking, or sitting with poor posture places stress on the muscles connected to your hip joint.

Staying in one position for a long time, especially if you do it on a regular basis, can also increase the wear on your joints.

Be mindful of your alignment and positioning and be sure to take stretch breaks.

Make sure your home and workspace are well lit, have grab bars and railings where needed, and are free of tripping hazards.

Book Your Appointment With Our Physical Therapy Clinic Today

Your hips play a major role in nearly every movement you make — from walking and exercising to simply standing comfortably throughout the day.

When hip pain, stiffness, or weakness begin interfering with daily life, physical therapy can help you restore mobility, improve strength, and move with greater confidence again.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, we create personalized treatment plans designed to support your long-term hip health, whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing arthritis, or working to prevent future problems.

With two convenient locations in the DC area, expert care is always within reach.

Book your appointment with Capitol Physical Therapy today and take the first step toward stronger, healthier movement.