The hip joint is a ball-and-socket design, albeit one with far less flexibility than the shoulder joint. Three fused bones—the ischium, ilium, and pubis—shape the basin of the pelvis. At the neck of the thighbone (femur), a bump branches off to form the ball of the hip joint with its cushioning layer of cartilage. The ball fits snugly into a socket in the pelvis (acetabulum). Thanks to the perfect fit, along with the slick cartilage coating the bones and the fluid lubricating the space between them, the friction between the ball and socket in a healthy hip is less than that of two ice cubes rubbing together. A larger projection slightly lower on the thighbone provides an anchor for tendons that run into leg and hip muscles, while a series of ligaments tightly bind the joint to help provide stability.
The hip joint is a ball-and-socket design, albeit one with far less
flexibility than the shoulder joint. Three fused bones—the ischium,
ilium, and pubis—shape the basin of the pelvis. At the neck of the
thighbone (femur), a bump...
More
Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:The hip joint is composed of a rounded ball of bone at the end of the thighbone, or femur, which moves inside a cup-like socket that is part of the pelvis. Cartilage lines the socket and covers the ball.
The hip joint is composed of a rounded ball of bone at the end of the thighbone, or femur, which moves inside a cup-like socket that is part of the pelvis. Cartilage lines the socket and covers the ball. More
Dr. Edward Phillips answered:The hip joint is a ball-and-socket design, albeit one with far less flexibility than the shoulder joint. Three fused bones—the ischium, ilium, and pubis—shape the basin of the pelvis. At the neck of the thighbone (femur), a bump branches off to form the ball of the hip joint with its cushioning layer of cartilage. The ball fits snugly into a socket in the pelvis (acetabulum). Thanks to the perfect fit, along with the slick cartilage coating the bones and the fluid lubricating the space between them, the friction between the ball and socket in a healthy hip is less than that of two ice cubes rubbing together. A larger projection slightly lower on the thighbone provides an anchor for tendons that run into leg and hip muscles, while a series of ligaments tightly bind the joint to help provide stability.The hip joint is a ball-and-socket design, albeit one with far less flexibility than the shoulder joint. Three fused bones—the ischium, ilium, and pubis—shape the basin of the pelvis. At the neck of the thighbone (femur), a bump... More
