muscles acting on the hip and thigh

iliacus

• hip flexion when trunk is fixed, as in stair climbing

• waist flexion when thigh is fixed, as in bending forward in a chair or sitting up in bed

• balances trunk during sitting

psoas major

same as iliacus

tensor fasciae latae

• knee extension

• lateral rotation of tibia

• abduction and medial rotation of femur

• during standing, steadies pelvis on femoral head and femoral condyles on tibial plateau

gluteus maximus

• hip extension, as in stair climbing

• backswing of thigh during running and walking

• thigh abduction 

• elevates trunk when rising from stooped or kneeling position

• extends waist after bending forward

• prevents trunk from pitching forward during walking and running

• stabilizes femur on tibia

gluteus medius and gluteus minimus

• abduction and medial rotation of thigh

• during walking, shifts weight of trunk toward limb with foot on the ground as other foot is lifted

adductor brevis

thigh adduction

adductor longus

• thigh adduction and medial rotation

• hip flexion

adductor magnus

• thigh adduction and medial rotation

• hip extension

gracilis

• thigh adduction

• knee flexion

• medial rotation of tibia

pectineus

• thigh adduction

• hip flexion

gemellus superior

• lateral rotation of thigh when hip joint is extended

• abduction of thigh when hip joint is flexed

gemellus inferior

same as gemellus superior

obturator externus

lateral rotation of thigh (uncertain)

obturator infernus

uncertain

piriforms

lateral rotation of extended thigh and abduction of flexed thigh

quadratus femoris

lateral rotation of thigh