The Athletic Hip

The hip is essential to elite performance. Dan Hollingsworth explains how this complex joint works.

An easy case can be made for the hip being the most important anatomic region in all athletic endeavors. Before this argument can be made, we must have a clear picture of the anatomic structure and biomechanics of this complex region.

The true hip joint, otherwise known as the “coxofemoral joint,” is the articulation between the femur (the long bone of the thigh) and the pelvis. Specifically, these two structures form a union between the head of the femur and the acetabulum of the pelvis, creating a true ball-and-socket joint. The primary skeletal role of the coxofemoral joint is to support the weight of the head, arms and trunk. Dynamically, the hip complex is the power-generation and transfer station that initiates and directs nearly all complex human movements.

A basic understanding of human biomechanics will be helpful in fully comprehending this article. Please refer to Lon Kilgore’s Jan. 29, 2009, CrossFit Journal article Movement 101 for a fantastic introduction to human movement terminology.

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