Anatom3DIliac crest
Crista iliaca · Hřeben kosti kyčelní
Skeleton
Looks like
The long, curved upper rim of the hip bone, felt at the waist from the front of the hip to the back.
What it does
Anchors the belly and back muscles; its top level marks the fourth lumbar vertebra, used to place a lumbar puncture.
Keeping it well
A direct blow bruises it (hip pointer). Surgeons take bone grafts from it; its marrow is also where bone marrow samples are drawn.
Related conditions
- Acromegaly
- Bone metastases and spinal cord compression
- Developmental dysplasia of the hip
- Fractures
- Fragility fracture
- Frailty & falls in older age
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Obstructed labour and obstetric fistula
- Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease)
- Osteomalacia & rickets
- Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
- Osteoporosis
- Paget's disease of bone
- Sarcoma
- Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies
- Vitamin D deficiency