Generally, it is separated into two distinct anatomical regions: the pelvic girdle and the pelvic spine. The pelvic girdle, sometimes referred to as the hip bone, is made up of three fused bones: the ilium, ischium, and pubic bone. The pelvic spine is the posterior section of the pelvis located below the lumbar spine and is made up of the sacrum and coccyx. The pubic symphysis connects the two pelvic bones anteriorly, whereas the sacroiliac joints link them posteriorly to the pelvic spine. The pelvis serves a variety of critical tasks in the human body. To begin, the pelvis supports the whole upper body's weight, stabilizes it, and transfers it to the lower limbs, allowing for a variety of motions (e.g. sitting, standing, bipedal gait). Additionally, it protects and stores the abdominopelvic viscera and serves as a point of attachment for muscles and reproductive organs. Finally, the bony pelvis offers a safe environment for the developing embryo throughout pregnancy. The female pelvis's integrity, biomechanical qualities, and anatomical traits are critical for labor.
The levator ani and coccygeus muscles compose the pelvic floor. These muscles originate in a continuous line from the pubic body, passing across the obturator internus fascia and the ischial spine through a tendinous arch. Each of these muscles, in conjunction with its counterparts on the other side, forms a gutter reaching downward from above, encircling the pelvic visceral organs in a sling. This muscular sheet, commonly known as the pelvic diaphragm, divides the real pelvis from the perineum below. The pelvic inlet is seen in Figure 6.
Figure 3. Posterolateral view of the lumbar spine on the right. Significant bone landmarks are identified. With thanks to Joseph E. Muscolino. A Clinical Orthopedic Approach to Manual Therapy for the Low Back and Pelvis (2015). Due to the lordotic curvature and the dense muscle that covers the lumbar spine, the spinous process is the sole immediately perceptible bone marker. As a result, when contacting the lumbar spine for motion palpation evaluation and joint mobilization therapy, the spinous processes (and laminae) are employed.
Interactive Hypertext Link This movie provides a three-dimensional perspective of the pelvis and its related ligaments. What is the big aperture in the bony pelvis between the ischium and pubic regions, and which two portions of the pubis contribute to its formation? The sacrospinous and sacrotuberous ligaments also contribute to the definition of two holes on the posterolateral sides of the pelvis for the evacuation of lower limb muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. The larger sciatic foramen is the superior opening. The larger sciatic notch of the hip bone, the sacrum, and the sacrospinous ligament all contribute to the formation of this huge aperture. The lesser sciatic foramen is a smaller, more inferior foramen created by the lesser sciatic notch of the hip bone and the sacrospinous and sacrotuberous ligaments.
