Kines Hip Reviewer
Kines Hip Reviewer
Kines Hip Reviewer
Hip joint is made for stability and weight bearing at the expense of mobility which is in contrast with the
glenohumeral joint which makes mobility as the primary function
Hip joint supports the weight of the head, arms and trunk (HAT)
Acetabulum is further deepened by the acetabular labrum which is analogous to the tibiofemoral joint
The labrum makes the concavity even more pronounced however, the acetabulum does not complete
the circle below and is horse shoe shaped
Below, there is a space called the acetabular notch which is completed by the transverse acetabular
ligament
The spherical femoral head has a non articular pit called the fovea capitis
Fovea capitis - serves as an attachment for the round ligament/ligamentum teres
Since the acetabulum and femoral head are both oriented anteriorly, it shows an incongruence in the
anterior area when the joint is in neutral position
Kapandji suggested that the true physiological position of the hip joint is in flexion, slight abduction and
slight external rotation (though it is not in close packed, there is an increase in the articulation of the
femur and acetabulum especially in the non weight bearing position)
Joint Capsule
⁃ thick anterosuperiorly and thin posteroinferiorly
⁃ Capsule is lax at 30 deg flexion, 30 deg abduction and slight ER (OPP)
⁃ Capsuloligamentum structures are taut in extension, abduction and ER making it the
ligamentous close packed position of the hip joint
At the base of the femoral neck, there is the tight ring that encircles it called the zona orbicularis
Zona orbicularis: provides stability on the hip joint during destructive forces
Femoral Head
⁃ made up of hyaline cartilage however, no hyaline cartilage is found at its center which is
the area of the fovea capitis
⁃ Fovea capitis: serves as an attachment for the ligamentum teres but aside from that, a
small blood vessel passes through it called the ligamentum teres artery
The ligamentum teres artery is just the secondary supply of blood to the femoral head and it is only
present when the bone is already matured
The primary blood supply to the femoral head is from the medial circumflex femoral artery which is a
branch of the profunda femoris artery coming from the femoral artery
The proximal joint capsule is supplied by the superior and inferior gluteal arteries
The distal joint capsule is supplied by the lateral and medial circumflex femoral artery
If there is a problem in the vascular supply, it will result to the avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
Usually happens in children ages 7; called the leg calves perthes disease
Its counterpart for the adult is know as the chandler’s disease
Acetabular dysplasia
⁃ abnormally shallow acetabulum which results to hip instability because the center edge
(CE) is <25 deg
Coxa Profunda
⁃ Too much CE angle (>40 degrees)
⁃ Where acetabulum covers the femoral head
⁃ Results to LOM
Acetabular protrusio
⁃ Too much CE (>40 degrees)
⁃ Femoral head projects too medial to the acetabulum
⁃ Results in LOM
Angle of Inclination
⁃ formed by the first line meeting the axis of the femoral shaft and the second line
meeting the axis of the femoral head and neck
⁃ Normal value: 120-125 degrees
⁃ At birth, the normal value is 150 degrees
⁃ As the person starts to bear weight on the lower extremity where the child stands up,
the femoral angle of inclination decreases to 120-125 degrees
⁃ In a matured femur, an abnormal decrease in angle is called coxa vara; may result to
greater stabilization however, it increases the risk for femoral neck fracture (another advantage is it
increases the moment arm of the gluteus medius muscle thus reducing the force necessary for the
muscle to generate the torque)
⁃ An abnormal increase in angle is called COXA VALGA; the moment arm of gluteus
medius is decreased thus needing more force to create muscle torque (it also makes the joint unstable
because of the less coverage of the femoral head in the socket
Angle of Torsion
⁃ First line is formed from the long axis of the femoral head and neck
⁃ Second line from the femoral condyles
⁃ This angle represents the twisting of the femoral bone at which the femoral head is
twisted to face anteriorly
⁃ Normal value: 15-20 degree usually it is lower for males at 15 deg as compared to
females at 18 deg
⁃ If it is abnormally increased, it is called femoral anteversion/antetorsion (stability is
decreased considering the acetabulum is also oriented anteriorly
⁃ If it faces too anterior, the femoral head may also hit the capsuloligamentous structure
in front therefore, the person may have the tendency to IR the femur which will eventually result to
malalignment of the tibia by also rotating internally
⁃ The lower extremity joints work closely in closed kinematic chain therefore, any
alteration on the hip joint may also affect the knee and the ankle joints
⁃ If angle of torsion is decreased, it is called femoral retroversion/retrotorsion
⁃ It increases the congruence of the articulation which results to greater stability
however, ROM of hip is limited
LIGAMENTS
Ligamentum Teres
⁃ which transmits blood vessels which contributes to the blood supply of the femoral
head
⁃ Checks on the destructive forces on the hip joint when the femoral head is being pulled
away from the acetabulum
⁃ attached from the apex of ASIS and divides into two arms giving it an inverted Y shape
attaching on the superior and inferior aspect of the intertrochanteric line of the femur
⁃ Superior band is stronger than inferior band
⁃ Serves as the primary stabilizer of the anterior aspect of the hip
⁃ Since it is on the anterior, it prevents excessive HYPEREXTENSION of the hip
⁃ Most of its fibers controls too much HIP EXTERNAL ROTATION
⁃ However, looking at the posterior view some of its fibers also crosses behind thus
providing some control towards HIP INTERNAL ROTATION
⁃ Because of its two arms, the superior band restricts ADDUCTION
⁃ Inferior band restricts ABDUCTION
Pubofemoral Ligament
Ischiofemoral Ligament
⁃ Posterior
⁃ Attaches from the posterior acetabular rim and acetabular labrum and spirals around
the femoral neck to attach to the intertrochanteric line of the femur
⁃ Other fibers are horizontally oriented to attach to the inner surface of the greater
trochanter
⁃ Prevents HIP ER, ABDUCTION
⁃ The spiral fibers prevents too much HYPEREXTENSION OF THE HIP
SAGITTAL PLANE
When the knee is bent, ILIOPSOAS AND GLUTEUS MAXIMUS primarily contracts in hip flexion and
extension respectively
When KNEE IS EXTENDED, the multijointed RECTUS FEMORIS which is part of the quads, and
HAMSTRING are activated in hip flexion and extension respectively
FRONTAL PLANE
When KNEE IS BENT, the single jointed gluteus medius for hip abduction and short adductor muscles in
hip adduction primarily contracts
When KNEE IS EXTENDED, the combined action of gluts max and TFL via the ITB does the hip abduction
and gracilis is the double jointed hip adductor
The proximal segment which is the pelvic bone moves on the fixed femur
Hip forward and backward rotation usually happens when we walk or take a step
⁃ Movement of lumbar and pelvic region that happens in the SAGITTAL PLANE
⁃ When bending forward during flexion, movement starts at the LUMBAR REGION then by
the PELVIS and HIP
⁃ In extension, the opposite happens
⁃ Open kinematic = distal segment is fixed as the proximal segment moves
Rectus femoris
⁃ Does hip flexion regardless of knee position
⁃ Hip flexor that also crosses the knee joint
⁃ Its active insufficiency is simultaneous hip flexion and knee extension
⁃ Passive insufficiency (stretch position) is simultaneous hip extension and knee flexion
Sartorius
⁃ Though it crosses the knee joint, its action remains unaffected by the position of the
knee is because it is attached on proximal aspect of the tibia
HIP FLEXORS SECONDARY AGONISTS
These three muscles are primary adductors since their fibers are anterior to the axis of the hip joint at
40-50 degrees of hip flexion in the sagittal plane, they assists in the flexion motion
Gluteus maximus
⁃ being single jointed, it remains active on any knee position
Hamstrings
⁃ Tibia’s position can isolate the contraction of these muscles
⁃ Biceps femoris is active on hip extension when knee is simultaneously flexing with tibia
in ER
⁃ Semimembranosus and semitendinosus is active on hip extension when knee is
simultaneously flexing with tibia in IR
HIP EXTENSORS SECONDARY AGONISTS
Gluteus medius
⁃ Primary abductor but since some fibers are posterior to the hip joint axis, also
contributes to hip extension
Piriformis
⁃ Primary rotator of the hip but acts as a secondary hip extensor
HIP ADDUCTORS
Pectineus, Adductor longus, Adductor brevis and Adductor magnus are called short adductor muscles
and are single jointed. Therefore, their activation is not influenced by knee position
Gracilis
⁃ Two jointed hip adductor that is activated when the knee is extended
HIP ABDUCTORS PRIMARY AGONISTS
“Rotator Cuff” of the Hip
Gluteus minimus
⁃ Anterior fibers acts as a weak hip flexor
Gluteus maximus and Sartorius acts as secondary hip abductors when RESISTANCE is applied
Obturator externus and Quadratus femoris remains active in hip ER whether the hip is flexed or
extended
Piriformis is active in hip ER if hip is extended or if hip is flexed in less than 90 degrees
Piriformis
⁃ External rotator at initial ranges of hip flexion because the fibers are posterior to the hip
joint axis
⁃ If >90 degrees hip flexion, the fibers crosses anteriorly to the hip joint axis so it becomes
an INTERNAL ROTATOR
Piriformis can also compress the sciatic nerve which results to SCIATICA; a condition with paresthesia,
tingling and numbness that run from the buttocks down to the leg (The Piriformis Syndrome)
Posterior fibers of the gluteals because of the backward pull of their fibers resulting to rolling backwards
of the femur
These three systems leave the zone of weakness (Ward’s Triangle) and is a potential site for femoral
neck fracture
Trochanter System
⁃ On the most lateral system
⁃ Responds to the pull of various muscles that are attached to it
GAIT/AMBULATION
When we walk at mid stance where only one extremity is in weight bearing, the contralateral hip has a
tendency to slightly drop but it is controlled by the gluteus medius.
Lateral swaying is also evident when we walk and is caused by the later shifting movements in the pelvis.
In walking, when you step one extremity forward the contralateral extremity is left behind. This creates
rotational movement of the pelvis in the transverse plane.
For example, when we step forward the left extremity, the left pelvis anteriorly rotates and posterior
rotation of the right pelvis happens
Tilting the pelvis anteriorly, exaggerates the lumbar lordosis considering the pelvis works as a chain with
the lumbar segment
If the pelvis shifts forward and tilts backward together with the exaggeration of the lumbar segment
lordosis is called the SWAYBACK posture