Puusad

Puusad, known in English as the hips, refer to the region at the base of the spine and the upper thighs where the pelvis meets the femurs. The hip joints enable a wide range of movements, bear much of the body’s weight, and play a key role in walking, running, and balance. The term covers both the bony structures and the surrounding soft tissues that contribute to stability and movement.

Anatomy: The pelvis is formed by three bones on each side—the ilium, ischium, and pubis—which join to form the acetabulum, the socket of the hip joint. The hip joint itself is a ball-and-socket joint created by the femoral head fitting into the acetabulum. A fibrous joint capsule, ligaments, and surrounding cartilage (articular cartilage on the joint surfaces) provide stability and smooth movement.

Muscles and movement: The hip is surrounded by several major muscle groups, including the gluteal muscles (maximus, medius, minimus), the hip flexors (notably the iliopsoas), abductors, adductors, and the hamstrings. These muscles coordinate to achieve flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and rotation, while also stabilizing the pelvis during gait and weight-bearing activities.

Clinical relevance: Common hip conditions include osteoarthritis, tendinopathies and bursitis, hip labral tears, and femoroacetabular impingement. Fractures of the femoral neck or acetabulum are more frequent in older adults after trauma. Management ranges from physical therapy and activity modification to medications, injections, and, in some cases, surgical intervention, depending on the condition and patient factors.