Ilium

Looks like

The wide, fan-shaped upper part of the hip bone; its crest is the ridge you feel at your waist.

What it does

Carries the weight of the trunk to the legs and anchors hip and belly muscles.

Keeping it well

Bone marrow samples are taken from its back crest; weight-bearing exercise and treating osteoporosis protect it.

Its parts

• Iliac crest
• Anterior superior iliac spine

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