Jesse C. DeLee, M.D.

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Hip Anatomy

The healthy hip is a ball-and-socket joint. The ball is at the top of the thighbone (femur), and the socket (acetabulum) is in the hipbone (pelvis). This connection allows the leg to move in a wide variety of positions. The ball and socket are each covered with articular cartilage that lubricates and cushions the bones during movement.

Normal Hip

Arthritic Hip

In the arthritic hip the articular cartilage is eroded, resulting in painful and limited motion, worsened by weight bering.