Pelvic girdle Anatomy
Pelvic girdle Anatomy
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The pelvic girdle is a ring-shaped bone structure found in the lower part of the body. It connects the spine to the legs and helps support your upper body when you stand or walk.
The pelvic girdle is made up of
Two hip bones
The sacrum
The coccyx (tailbone)
The Hip Bones
Each hip bone is actually made up of three parts: the pubis, the ilium, and the ischium. These three bones fuse (join) together as we grow and form a single solid structure called the hip bone.
The hip bones connect:
At the back: to the sacrum at the sacroiliac joints.
At the front: to each other at the pubic symphysis.
To the legs: at the hip joints.
The Pubis
The Pubis
The pubis is the front lower part of the hip bone.
It has a superior ramus (upper part) and an inferior ramus (lower part).
The two pubic bones from each side meet at the pubic symphysis, which is a joint with cartilage in the middle.
The pubis also helps form the obturator foramen, a large hole that allows nerves and blood vessels to pass through to the legs.
Image by Anatomy Standard, cropped and color-edited from the original, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
The Ilium
The Ilium
The ilium is the largest part of the hip bone. It sits at the top and has a wide, wing-like shape. The upper edge of the ilium is called the iliac crest — you can feel this part if you put your hands on your hips.
At the front, the iliac crest ends at a point called the anterior superior iliac spine, and at the back, it ends at the posterior superior iliac spine.
On the inside of the ilium is a shallow, curved surface called the iliac fossa, which holds muscles. The ilium also connects to the sacrum at a special surface called the auricular surface.
The Ischium
The Ischium
The ischium forms the lower back part of the hip bone. This is the part you sit on.
The large bump you sit on is called the ischial tuberosity. It’s an important attachment point for muscles like the hamstrings.
The ischium also has two notches:
The greater sciatic notch, which is a large curve.
The lesser sciatic notch, which is a smaller curve below it.
These notches allow important nerves and muscles to pass through.
Image by Anatomy Standard, cropped and color-edited from the original, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
The Pelvic Brim
The Pelvic Brim
The pelvic brim is like an edge that divides the pelvis into two parts:
The space above the brim is called the false pelvis. It is actually part of the abdominal cavity.
The space below the brim is called the true pelvis, which is the area that holds the reproductive organs and is involved in childbirth.
Joints of the Pelvis
Joints of the Pelvis
There are four main joints in the pelvis that hold everything together:
The sacroiliac joints (one on each side), where the hip bones meet the sacrum.
The sacrococcygeal joint, where the sacrum connects to the coccyx.
The pubic symphysis, where the left and right hip bones join in the front.
The hip joints, where the hip bones connect to the head of the femur (thigh bone).
Strong ligaments connect the bones and help keep the pelvis stable.
Need a recap? Take a look at the pelvic girdle anatomy notes
Need a recap? Take a look at the pelvic girdle anatomy notes
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References
TeachMeAnatomy. (n.d.). Pelvic girdle. TeachMeAnatomy. https://teachmeanatomy.info/pelvis/bones/pelvic-girdle/
McCann, M. R., & Mesfin, F. B. (2023, July 31). Anatomy, pelvis. StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545204/#:~:text=Introduction,the%20ala%20of%20the%20sacrum.
Lange, J. D., Wisser, J., & Iwanik, M. (2023). The pelvic girdle and pelvis. In Human Anatomy (Lange et al.) (Section 6.08). LibreTexts. https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Anatomy_and_Physiology/Human_Anatomy_%28Lange_et_al.%29/06%3A_Axial_and_Appendicular_Skeleton/6.08%3A_The_Pelvic_Girdle_and_Pelvis
Raits, J. S. K. (n.d.). Pelvis. Anatomy Standard. https://www.anatomystandard.com/ossa-et-juncturae/extremitas-inferior/pelvis.html
Raits, J. S. K. (n.d.). Os coxae. Anatomy Standard. https://www.anatomystandard.com/ossa-et-juncturae/extremitas-inferior/os-coxae.html
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