coxofemoral

The coxofemoral joint, or hip joint, is a synovial ball-and-socket joint formed by the femoral head and the acetabulum of the pelvis. It enables a wide range of motion while bearing most of the body's weight in standing and locomotion.

Anatomy: The articulating surfaces are covered with hyaline cartilage. The acetabular labrum deepens the socket to improve stability. The hip capsule is reinforced by ligaments, notably the iliofemoral, pubofemoral, and ischiofemoral ligaments. The ligamentum teres connects the femoral head to the acetabulum but has a limited stabilizing role in adults. Blood supply comes from the medial and lateral femoral circumflex arteries, with the artery to the head present in some individuals. Innervation includes articular branches of the femoral, obturator, and sciatic nerves.

Function and biomechanics: The joint bears weight and provides flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and rotation. Stability relies on the capsule, surrounding ligaments, the acetabular labrum, and dynamic muscular support from the gluteal group, iliopsoas, adductors, and deep rotators.

Clinical significance: Common conditions include osteoarthritis, femoroacetabular impingement, developmental dysplasia of the hip, avascular necrosis of the femoral head, fractures of the femoral neck, and labral tears. Diagnosis uses radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography as needed.

Treatment: Approaches range from conservative measures such as physical therapy and NSAIDs to injections and surgical options. Surgical interventions include hip arthroscopy for intra-articular pathology, osteotomies for dysplasia, and total hip arthroplasty for end-stage arthritis. The term coxofemoral is often used interchangeably with hip joint in medical writing.