The hip joint is a ball and socket synovial joint that connects the top of the thigh bone (femur) to the pelvic bone (acetabulum). The hip is held together by cartilage, muscle and ligaments.
Functionally, the hip joint has a very high range of motion. The ball-and-socket structure of the joint allows the femur to move freely through a 360-degree circle. In addition to being flexible, each hip joint must be capable of supporting half of the body’s weight along with such movements as running and jumping. The hip joint must be able to accommodate such forces repeatedly during intense physical activities.
