Hip in 8: Gluteus medius

The hip is a deep ball-and-socket joint where the femoral head sits within the pelvis's cup-shaped socket, giving it far greater inherent bony stability than the shoulder while still allowing a substantial range of motion for walking, running, and squatting. As a major weight-bearing joint, the hip is subject to forces several times body weight during activities such as running or climbing stairs, which contributes to its vulnerability to both overuse injuries in active individuals and degenerative osteoarthritis with advancing age.

Hip pain can also originate from surrounding soft tissue, including the gluteal tendons at the outer hip or the iliopsoas tendon at the front, rather than the joint itself, which is why a careful examination is often needed to localize the true source. This page reviews the hip's anatomy, common conditions, assessment approaches, and general exercise and recovery patterns.

Osteoarthritis is among the most common causes of hip pain after middle age, involving gradual breakdown of the joint's cartilage and associated changes in the surrounding bone and soft tissue. What is greater trochanteric pain syndrome? Greater trochanteric pain syndrome describes pain at the outer hip related to irritation of the gluteal tendons or the nearby bursa, often mistaken in the past for bursitis alone.