Understanding How The Hip Works
July 6, 2008 by rainier
The hip is one of the main weight bearing joints in your body and consists of two main parts:
* A ball (femoral head) at the top of your thigh bone (femur).
* A rounded socket (acetabulum) in your pelvis.
The ball (femoral head) on the thigh bone fits into the rounded socket (acetabulum) in the pelvis. Ligaments, which are bands of tissue, connect the ball to the socket and help keep the ball and socket steady. The surfaces of the ball and socket are covered by a smooth, tough material called articular cartilage, which cushions the bones and lets them move easily.
All the rest of the surfaces of the hip joint are covered by a thin, smooth tissue liner called synovial membrane, which makes a small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant so that the bones in the hip joint will not rub against each other.
