Athletic Hip

Question 1

The true hip joint,

Answer 1

coxofemoral joint, is the articulation between the femur (the long bone of the thigh) and the pelvis.

Question 2

The primary skeletal role of the coxofemoral joint is to

Answer 2

support the weight of the head, arms and trunk.

Question 3

knee complex.

Answer 3

Distally, the femur articulates with the tibia to form the knee complex.

Question 4

The femoral neck

Answer 4

The femoral neck projects off the proximal shaft of the femur and angulates approximately 55 degrees toward the pelvis, In women this angle is a little greater to accommodate the greater width of the female pelvis.

Question 5

Femoral neck, pain, covered in ?

Answer 5

The femoral neck tends to be the weakest link in the femur and is particularly susceptible to injury. New athletes who complain of hip pain, especially with high-impact activities, should be evaluated to rule out a possible stress fracture. The head of the femur is attached to the proximal femoral neck and forms the point of interaction between the femur and pelvis. The femoral head is circular in shape and covered in smooth articular cartilage.

Question 6

is the transition area between the spine and the lower extremitie

Answer 6

The pelvis

Question 7

The pelvis comprises t

Answer 7

three bones: the ilium, the ischium and the pubis.

Question 8

it is only the+++++++portion of the acetabulum that is lined with smooth articular cartilage why ?

Answer 8

it is only the upper portion of the acetabulum that is lined with smooth articular cartilag, This is due to the weight-bearing pattern of the joint.

Question 8

it is only the+++++++portion of the acetabulum that is lined with smooth articular cartilage why ?

Answer 8

it is only the upper portion of the acetabulum that is lined with smooth articular cartilag, This is due to the weight-bearing pattern of the joint.

Question 9

The hip joint is supported by a

Answer 9

thick and strong capsule of ligaments.

Question 10

major contributor to the stability of the hip joint.

Answer 10

This dense capsule is a maj

Question 11

anterosuperior portion.

Answer 11

Several areas of thickening within the capsule add greater strength to areas that are exposed to significant stress during weight-bearing activities, with the thickest area being the anterosuperior portion.

Question 12

s a wedge-shaped ring of cartilage that further adds to the stability of the hip joint.

Answer 12

acetabular labrum

Question 13

The labrum encircles the entire acetabulum and not only increases the depth of the acetabulum but also p

Answer 13

rovides a physical barrier that improves stability much the same was as a wheel chock prevents a car from rolling downhill.

Question 14

Hip-Joint Kinematics`::In most discussions of hip-joint motion, including this one, the primary frame of reference is that of the femur

Answer 14

moving on the pelvis at the acetabulum.

Question 15

During weight-bearing activities, however, the femur remains in a

Answer 15

relatively fixed position and it is the pelvis that moves on the head of the femur.

Question 16

Hamstring tension limits the hip joint to approximately 90 degrees of flexion when the knee is fully extended.

Question 17

Hamstring tensio

Answer 17

n limits the hip joint to approximately 90 degrees of flexion when the knee is fully extended.—Flexion of the knee joint releases tension in the hamstrings, therefore allowing for hip flexion of approximately 120-135 degrees.

Question 18

e knee is flexed, hip extension is

Answer 18

Conversely, when the knee is flexed, hip extension is limited by tension in the rectus femoris muscle of the quadriceps group on the anterior thigh. The normal range for hip extension is 10-30 degrees.

Question 19

adduction and abduction angle

Answer 19

hip enjoys approximately 30-50 degrees of abduction and 10-30 degrees of adduction. Internal and external rotation of the hip is typically measured with the hip and knee flexed to 90 degrees.

Question 20

IR an Er of hip

Answer 20

Due to the orientation and tautness of the hip-joint capsule, internal rotation is typically limited to 30-45 degrees, whereas external rotation reaches 45-60 degrees.

Question 21

anterior and posterior pelvic tilt

Answer 21

Anterior and posterior pelvic tilt refer to movement of the pelvis in the sagittal plane. Anterior tilt of the pelvis produces flexion of the hip joint and can be visualized as increasing the arch (lordosis) in the lower back (lumbar spine). Posterior tilt produces extension of the hip and can be visualized as flattening of the normal lumbar lordosis.

Question 22

. Lateral pelvic tilt

Answer 22

c tilt occurs when one hip joint acts as a pivot point while the opposite side is raised or lowered within the frontal plane. During single-leg-stance activities, such as pistol squats or during the stance phase of running, significant lateral pelvic tilt is an indicator of lateral hip weakness. Finally, no discussion of hip-joint kinematics is complete without addressing the issue of lumbo-pelvic rhythm

Question 23

lumbo-pelvic rhythm.

Answer 23

This phenomenon describes the coordinated movement between the hip joint, sacrum and lumbar spine.

Question 24

A prime example of lumbo-pelvic rhythm

Answer 24

occurs when one tries to touch his or her toes while seated with the knees extended. Through isolated flexion of the hip, one can achieve only 90 degrees, which is insufficient for touching the toes. Continuing to bend forward and touch the toes requires additional flexion through the lumbar spine. Athletes who have significantly limited flexibility will obviously require a greater degree of coordinated movement through these segments in order to reach the end ranges of motion.

Question 25

Muscles of the Hip

Answer 25

Hip Flexion- iliopsoas, rectus femoris, sartorius and the tensor fascia lata (TFL).

Question 26

rectus femoris is a two-joint muscle, the position of one joint

Answer 26

will influence this muscle’s force-production potential at the other joint. The rectus femoris’ contribution to hip flexion is greatest when the knee is maintained in slight flexion.

Question 27

Tightness in the hip-flexor muscle group can lead to multiple movement faults. Many individuals who appear to have limited

Answer 27

hamstring flexibility may actually be limited due to poor hip-flexor flexibility.

Question 28

Shortened or tight hip flexors will cause

Answer 28

anterior tilt of the pelvis. Tilting the pelvis forward will place the hamstrings in a lengthened state

Question 29

When further lengthening of the hamstrings is required,

Answer 29

it will appear to be limited due to the pre-loaded state of the muscle group.

Question 30

The hip extensors may also be inhibited

Answer 30

by the anterior tilt of the pelvis. The powerful gluteus maximus of the hip-extensor group loses force-production potential when the hip is flexed. Anterior tilt of the pelvis places the hip into flexion, thereby blunting the potential of the glutes. To demonstrate this, stand tall and squeeze your glutes together very tightly. While maintaining this squeeze, bend forward at the hips. Notice how it is nearly impossible to maintain that strong contraction of the glutes? Tightness of the hip flexors will limit hip extension and could be the reason you are plateauing on your deadlift.

Question 31

Hip Extension: the gluteus maximus is most active when the hip is in

Answer 31

a neutral or maximally opened position. Flexion of the hips inhibits the gluteus maximus, and at a position of 35 degrees of hip flexion the hamstrings become the primary hip extensors.

Question 32

lateral (external) rotation of the femur;knees rolling in at the bottom of the squat.

Answer 32

gluteus maximus also plays a role in lateral (external) rotation of the femur; therefore, weakness in the gluteus maximus may contribute to the knees rolling in at the bottom of the squat.

Question 33

The hamstring muscle group aids the g

Answer 33

luteus maximus in hip extension and also flexes the knee. Slight flexion of the knee increases the force potential of the hamstring muscle group due to the improved length-tension relationship.

Question 34

Hip Abduction

Answer 34

The prime movers for hip abduction are the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus

Question 35

Another important function of the hip abductors is

Answer 35

stabilization of the pelvis in the open kinetic chain. During single-limb-stance activities (walking, running, pistol squats), these muscles keep the pelvis level. Weakness in the hip abductors will cause the hip opposite the stance leg to dip downward. This instability of the hip/pelvis can lead to a host of issues including knee, hip and lower-back pain

Question 36

Hip Adduction

Answer 36

nterestingly, while there are five muscles that are capable of producing a hip-adduction force, the contribution of hip adduction to hip-joint function is not yet clear. It has been theorized that the adductors of the hip do not have a primary mobility role but are more or less reflexive during gait. There actually appears to be a good body of evidence that indicates the hip adductors as having a role in hip internal rotation. This movement of the hip does not have a prime mover.

Question 37

Hip External Rotation

Answer 37

six muscles produce external rotation of the hip: the obturator internis and externus, the gemellus superior and inferior, the quadratus femoris, and the piriformis muscles.

Question 38

Due to its relative size and proximity to the sciatic nerve,

Answer 38

piriformis muscle often receives the most attention in this group of muscles.

Question 39

sciatic nerve

Answer 39

sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the human body, and its fibers supply the skin of nearly the entire lower extremity and the muscles of the posterior thigh and those of the leg and foot