Where is the hip joint located?

The hip joint is the articulation between the pelvis and the lower limb, serving as the most critical center of motion for ambulation. When the thigh moves, the joint located at the junction of the thigh and buttock is the hip joint.

Anatomically, the hip joint consists of the acetabulum of the pelvis and the femoral head—the uppermost portion of the femur—united by the joint capsule and surrounding ligaments. It is one of the largest and most mobile synovial joints in the human body. Moreover, due to robust muscular support from the gluteal muscles and proximal thigh musculature, it is also among the most stable large joints in the body.

The hip joint exists bilaterally (left and right) and serves as the central pivot linking the trunk to the lower limbs—the key node for force transmission between the trunk and lower extremities. The joint capsule surrounding the hip is exceptionally strong, further reinforced by powerful ligaments. Consequently, hip dislocation is relatively rare under normal physiological conditions; however, under high-energy traumatic forces, dislocation, avascular necrosis of the femoral head, or femoral neck fracture may occur.