You move your hip through a combination of different movements enabled by various muscles. These movements include abduction, adduction, flexion, and extension.
Here's a breakdown of the main hip movements:
- Abduction: Moving your leg away from the midline of your body. Think of lifting your leg out to the side.
- Adduction: Moving your leg toward the midline of your body. Think of bringing your leg back towards the center after abducting it.
- Flexion: Bending or lifting your leg forward toward your body. Think of raising your knee towards your chest.
- Extension: Extending your leg backward away from your body. Think of swinging your leg behind you.
Essentially, the hip joint's range of motion allows for a wide variety of movements, all made possible by the coordinated actions of numerous muscles surrounding the hip. The key movements as defined by Brainlab.org are abduction, adduction, flexion, and extension.