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Pelvis

life science Maturity 11-13 Next article →

The pelvis is a strong, basin-shaped ring of bones.

Pelvis RG MR CT3d front 01
Pelvis RG MR CT3d front 01

It sits in the lower part of your trunk. This area is between your abdomen and your thighs. The pelvis is very important for how we move. It connects your spine to your lower limbs, or legs. It helps you stand up straight and walk around. The bones also work to protect your internal organs. These include the reproductive organs and the rectum.

Female pelvis
Female pelvis

This bony ring works in a very specific way. It is made of two parts called the pelvic girdle and the pelvic spine. The pelvic spine is formed by the sacrum and the coccyx in your back. The pelvic girdle is made of two hip bones. Each hip bone has three sections: the ilium, the ischium, and the pubis. In children, these three parts are separate bones. They are joined by a special material called triradiate cartilage. During puberty, these pieces fuse together to form one single bone.

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Gray238

Inside this ring of bone is a space called the pelvic cavity. This cavity holds many important parts of the body. The bottom of this space is the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is made of overlapping sheets of muscle and tissue. It has a very hard job to do. It must support the weight of the organs in your abdomen. At the same time, it must control the openings for the rectum and urogenital organs.

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Gray240

There are big differences between male and female pelvises. This happens because of something called the obstetrical dilemma. Humans need a wide birth canal to give birth to babies. However, we also need to be able to walk well on two legs. Because of this, a female pelvis is wider, lighter, and thinner. It has a larger, oval-shaped opening. A male pelvis is taller, narrower, and more compact. The male sacrum is also longer and straighter than the female sacrum.

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Gray239

These shapes change how people move through the world. In males, the hip bones allow the leg to move forward and backward in one plane. In females, the leg must swing forward and then inward. This movement is what creates the characteristic swinging of the hips when women walk. The pelvis is a very stable structure. It allows very little movement so it can carry weight from the trunk to the legs. It is a strong and rigid part of our anatomy.

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Gray321
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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Pelvis RG MR CT3d front 01.jpg
Pelvis RG MR CT3d front 01.jpg
File:Gray238.png
Gray238.png
File:Gray240.png
Gray240.png
File:Gray239.png
Gray239.png
File:Female pelvis.png
Female pelvis.png
File:Gray321.png
Gray321.png
File:Gray389.png
Gray389.png
File:Posterior Hip Muscles 1.PNG
Posterior Hip Muscles 1.PNG
File:Anterior Hip Muscles 2.PNG
Anterior Hip Muscles 2.PNG
File:Posterior Hip Muscles 3.PNG
Posterior Hip Muscles 3.PNG
File:Falcarius pelvis.jpg
Falcarius pelvis.jpg
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