Hip bone — Anatomy Notes, Diagram & Quiz

The Hip bone is located in the pelvis. Forms pelvic girdle and transfers weight to lower limbs. The Hip bone consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis.

Hip bone highlighted in a 3D model of the human body
Hip bone highlighted in the 3D body atlas. 3D atlas: BodyParts3D (DBCLS, CC BY-SA 2.1 Japan); Écorché/Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0). Rendered in anotemy.

Key facts

Hip bone at a glance
LocationPelvis
Main functionForms pelvic girdle and transfers weight to lower limbs.
Layerskeleton
Key fact 1The Hip bone consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis.
Key fact 2The Hip bone articulates with the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint.
Key fact 3The Hip bone fractures can disrupt pelvic stability.

Where is the Hip bone located?

The Hip bone is located in the pelvis.

The Hip bone consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis.

What does the Hip bone do?

Forms pelvic girdle and transfers weight to lower limbs.

The Hip bone articulates with the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint.

What to know for exams

  • The Hip bone consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis.
  • The Hip bone articulates with the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint.
  • The Hip bone fractures can disrupt pelvic stability.

It belongs to the skeleton layer. Learn its location, relations, and the structures it works with.

Clinical relevance

The Hip bone fractures can disrupt pelvic stability.

Link the hip bone to its blood supply, innervation and relations. That is how exam questions usually test it.

Memory aid: Hip bone

The Hip bone consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The Hip bone articulates with the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint. The Hip bone fractures can disrupt pelvic stability.

Chain it as location → function → clinical link when you revise.

Hip bone anatomy quiz

Five questions. Open each answer after you commit to a response.

  1. Where is the Hip bone located?

    Reveal answer

    Pelvis

  2. What is the main function of the Hip bone?

    Reveal answer

    Forms pelvic girdle and transfers weight to lower limbs.

  3. Give one key fact about the Hip bone.

    Reveal answer

    The Hip bone consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis.

  4. Give another key fact about the Hip bone.

    Reveal answer

    The Hip bone articulates with the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint.

  5. What clinical link is associated with the Hip bone?

    Reveal answer

    The Hip bone fractures can disrupt pelvic stability.

Common questions

Where is the Hip bone located?

The Hip bone is located in the pelvis. The Hip bone consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis.

What does the Hip bone do?

Forms pelvic girdle and transfers weight to lower limbs. The Hip bone articulates with the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint.

What is a key fact about the Hip bone?

The Hip bone fractures can disrupt pelvic stability.

What layer does the Hip bone belong to?

It belongs to the skeleton layer of the body.

What should I remember for exams?

The Hip bone consists of the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The Hip bone articulates with the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint. The Hip bone fractures can disrupt pelvic stability.

Sources

  1. Standring, S. (ed.). Gray’s Anatomy, 42nd edition. Elsevier, 2020.
  2. TeachMeAnatomy — anatomy library
  3. Kenhub — anatomy library
  4. StatPearls / NCBI Bookshelf — Hip bone search

3D atlas and image credits

Anatomy models: BodyParts3D, © Database Center for Life Science (DBCLS), CC BY-SA 2.1 Japan. Écorché by Charleeh, derived from BodyParts3D and Z-Anatomy, CC BY-SA 4.0. Rendered in anotemy. Changes: highlighting, framing, labels and background removal. Images: CC BY-SA 4.0.

The 3D models are third-party assets under Creative Commons share-alike licences. They keep those licences; the page text is separate. If you reuse an image, keep the attribution and the share-alike licence.