anatomy/pelvis·Bone
Pelvis
Pelvis
The bony ring of two hip bones, sacrum and coccyx. It carries the trunk and connects it to the legs.
// Structure & location
Each hip bone forms from three bones that fuse during adolescence: the ilium (the pelvic wing), the ischium (the bone you sit on) and the pubis (at the front). According to OpenStax, the two hip bones together with the sacrum and coccyx form the pelvis. On the side lies the deep hip socket for the head of the femur.
// Function
The pelvis transfers the weight of the upper body to the legs, protects organs in the lower abdomen and provides attachment for the large trunk and hip muscles. According to OpenStax, the hip joint is secured by strong ligaments and therefore less mobile than the shoulder, but very stable.
// For training & sport
- Squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts all move mainly at the hip joint, with the pelvis as the base.
- How deep you can squat also depends on the shape of the hip socket and femoral neck, which varies from person to person.
// Good to know
According to OpenStax, the female pelvis is wider, with a larger angle below the pubic symphysis, to allow childbirth.
// Sources
- LehrbuchOpenStax – Anatomy and Physiology 2e, Chapter 8 Review: The Appendicular Skeleton ↗
- LehrbuchOpenStax – Anatomy and Physiology 2e, 9.6 Anatomy of Selected Synovial Joints ↗
last reviewed: 2026-11-14