The iliac crest is the curved area at the top of theiliumbone, the largest of three bones that make up the pelvis. If you put your hand on your waist and press firmly, you can feel the prominent, bony surface of your iliac crest.
The iliac crest has a rich supply of bone marrow, making it an ideal source forbone marrow transplants.Playing contact sports can cause injuries to the iliac crest. These are known as “hip pointer” injuries.
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Anatomy
Structure
The iliac crest forms a thick, curved bony border on the edge of the ilium. It is concave in front, rounding inward, and convex in back, rounding outward. The front tip of the iliac crest is called the anterior superior iliac spine; the back tip is known as the posterior superior iliac spine. At the widest point of the iliac crest is the iliac tubercle, an area that protrudes slightly from the crest itself.
The iliac crest receives most of its blood supply from the deep circumflex ilial artery.The interior of the iliac crest is a rich source of redbone marrow.
Location
The iliac crest is located on the outer edge of the pelvic bones and located approximately at the L4vertebraof the lumbar spine.
Function
Many important abdominal and core muscles are attached to the iliac crest, including the hip flexors, the internal and external abdominal oblique muscles, the erector spinae muscles, the latissimus dorsi, the transversus abdominis, and the tensor fasciae latae.Theiliotibial bandattaches to the hip at the iliac tubercle.
Medical Uses of the Iliac CrestThe iliac crest has a large supply of bone marrow that can be tapped when abone marrow biopsyis necessary; it can also be harvested for use in a bone marrow transplant.The bones of the iliac crest are commonly used to provide bone grafts for people undergoing reconstruction of the jaw or thetibia.When doctors need to perform alumbar puncture(spinal tap) to collect cerebrospinal fluid, they use the iliac crest as an anatomical landmark. Finding the top of the hip helps in locating the L4 lumbar vertebra of the spinal column, where the needle is inserted to draw fluid.
Medical Uses of the Iliac Crest
The iliac crest has a large supply of bone marrow that can be tapped when abone marrow biopsyis necessary; it can also be harvested for use in a bone marrow transplant.The bones of the iliac crest are commonly used to provide bone grafts for people undergoing reconstruction of the jaw or thetibia.When doctors need to perform alumbar puncture(spinal tap) to collect cerebrospinal fluid, they use the iliac crest as an anatomical landmark. Finding the top of the hip helps in locating the L4 lumbar vertebra of the spinal column, where the needle is inserted to draw fluid.
The iliac crest has a large supply of bone marrow that can be tapped when abone marrow biopsyis necessary; it can also be harvested for use in a bone marrow transplant.The bones of the iliac crest are commonly used to provide bone grafts for people undergoing reconstruction of the jaw or thetibia.
When doctors need to perform alumbar puncture(spinal tap) to collect cerebrospinal fluid, they use the iliac crest as an anatomical landmark. Finding the top of the hip helps in locating the L4 lumbar vertebra of the spinal column, where the needle is inserted to draw fluid.
Associated Conditions
Because the iliac crest is prominent and easily felt from outside the body, it is vulnerable to injuries, as well as conditions that affect the nerves and ligaments that attach to it. These include:
Hip Pointer Injuries
Direct impact on the iliac crest can cause tissue and bone bruising, swelling and inflammation, and even bone fracture. Hip pointer injuries cause immediate, intense pain and tenderness over the upper hip. There can also be muscular spasms and a decline in the strength andrange of motionof the affected hip and leg. The pain tends to worsen with movement.
Iliac Crest Pain Syndrome
Iliac crest pain syndrome occurs when the iliolumbar ligament tears as a result of a trauma, such as a car accident or fall, or actions that involve repeated twisting or bending. Weak muscles in the back, hip, and abdomen can also cause pain along the iliac crest.
Iliac crest syndrome can also be a result of inflamed tendons and ligaments in the area. Symptoms of iliac crest pain include pain in the lower back that can spread to the hip and groin.
Post-Graft Complications
The harvesting of bone in the iliac crest to reconstruct a person’s jaw or leg bone commonly causes pain in the crest. In some cases the procedure can also cause numbness, infection, fractures, and gait problems that can impact a person’s ability to walk properly.
What to Know About Hip Pain in Athletes
Rehabilitation
Hip pointer injuries generally improve with standard, non-surgical treatments including:
Range of motion and active resistance exercises can gradually be resumed as pain and swelling subside. Your doctor will tell you when it’s safe to resume playing sports. Going back too soon can increase your risk of another injury.
There are a few things you can do to help reduce your chance of getting an iliac crest injury when playing sports or exercising:
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe iliac crest is the medical term for what is commonly known as the hip bone. Part of the pelvis, the iliac crest is the bone you feel when you put your hand on your hip.The iliac crest is attached to abdominal and core muscles including:Erector spinaeHip flexorsInternal and external abdominal obliquesLatissimus dorsiTensor fasciae lataeTransverse abdominisThe iliac crest has an ample supply of bone marrow that is commonly tapped to harvest bone marrow. Bone marrow from the iliac crest contains mesenchymal stem cells and growth factors that can help to regenerate bones and other tissue.
Frequently Asked Questions
The iliac crest is the medical term for what is commonly known as the hip bone. Part of the pelvis, the iliac crest is the bone you feel when you put your hand on your hip.
The iliac crest is attached to abdominal and core muscles including:Erector spinaeHip flexorsInternal and external abdominal obliquesLatissimus dorsiTensor fasciae lataeTransverse abdominis
The iliac crest is attached to abdominal and core muscles including:
The iliac crest has an ample supply of bone marrow that is commonly tapped to harvest bone marrow. Bone marrow from the iliac crest contains mesenchymal stem cells and growth factors that can help to regenerate bones and other tissue.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chahla J, Mannava S, Cinque ME, Geeslin AG, Codina D, LaPrade RF.Bone marrow aspirate concentrate harvesting and processing technique.Arthrosc Tech. 2017;6(2):e441-e445. doi:10.1016/j.eats.2016.10.024Beahm EK, Hanasono MM, Shaneq S.Chapter 26: Iliac Flap. In:Flaps and Reconstructive Surgery. Elsevier; 2009.Crim JR, Manaster BJ.Pelvis Overview. In:Imaging Anatomy: Musculoskeletal,Second Edition.Elsevier; 2016:486-493. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-37756-0.50038-7Crim JR, Manaster BJ.Iliac crest. In:Imaging Anatomy: Musculoskeletal, Second Edition. Elsevier; 2016.Duniec L, Nowakowski P, Kosson D, Łazowski T.Anatomical landmarks based assessment of intravertebral space level for lumbar puncture is misleading in more than 30%.Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2013 Jan-Mar;45(1):1-6. doi:10.5603/AIT.2013.0001University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Sports Medicine.Hip Pointers.Todorov P, Kalcheva M, Marinkov A, et al. Low back pain due to enthesopathy of erector spine muscle: a comparative US and MRI study in patients with iliac crest pain syndrome.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases2018;77:817. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-eular.6607Zhang J, Wei Y.Reconstruction of iliac crest defect after autogenous harvest with bone cement and screws reduces donor site pain.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;19:237. doi:10.1186/s12891-018-2167-7Nemours Foundation. Teens Health.Hip Pointer.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Chahla J, Mannava S, Cinque ME, Geeslin AG, Codina D, LaPrade RF.Bone marrow aspirate concentrate harvesting and processing technique.Arthrosc Tech. 2017;6(2):e441-e445. doi:10.1016/j.eats.2016.10.024Beahm EK, Hanasono MM, Shaneq S.Chapter 26: Iliac Flap. In:Flaps and Reconstructive Surgery. Elsevier; 2009.Crim JR, Manaster BJ.Pelvis Overview. In:Imaging Anatomy: Musculoskeletal,Second Edition.Elsevier; 2016:486-493. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-37756-0.50038-7Crim JR, Manaster BJ.Iliac crest. In:Imaging Anatomy: Musculoskeletal, Second Edition. Elsevier; 2016.Duniec L, Nowakowski P, Kosson D, Łazowski T.Anatomical landmarks based assessment of intravertebral space level for lumbar puncture is misleading in more than 30%.Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2013 Jan-Mar;45(1):1-6. doi:10.5603/AIT.2013.0001University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Sports Medicine.Hip Pointers.Todorov P, Kalcheva M, Marinkov A, et al. Low back pain due to enthesopathy of erector spine muscle: a comparative US and MRI study in patients with iliac crest pain syndrome.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases2018;77:817. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-eular.6607Zhang J, Wei Y.Reconstruction of iliac crest defect after autogenous harvest with bone cement and screws reduces donor site pain.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;19:237. doi:10.1186/s12891-018-2167-7Nemours Foundation. Teens Health.Hip Pointer.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Chahla J, Mannava S, Cinque ME, Geeslin AG, Codina D, LaPrade RF.Bone marrow aspirate concentrate harvesting and processing technique.Arthrosc Tech. 2017;6(2):e441-e445. doi:10.1016/j.eats.2016.10.024Beahm EK, Hanasono MM, Shaneq S.Chapter 26: Iliac Flap. In:Flaps and Reconstructive Surgery. Elsevier; 2009.Crim JR, Manaster BJ.Pelvis Overview. In:Imaging Anatomy: Musculoskeletal,Second Edition.Elsevier; 2016:486-493. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-37756-0.50038-7Crim JR, Manaster BJ.Iliac crest. In:Imaging Anatomy: Musculoskeletal, Second Edition. Elsevier; 2016.Duniec L, Nowakowski P, Kosson D, Łazowski T.Anatomical landmarks based assessment of intravertebral space level for lumbar puncture is misleading in more than 30%.Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2013 Jan-Mar;45(1):1-6. doi:10.5603/AIT.2013.0001University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Sports Medicine.Hip Pointers.Todorov P, Kalcheva M, Marinkov A, et al. Low back pain due to enthesopathy of erector spine muscle: a comparative US and MRI study in patients with iliac crest pain syndrome.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases2018;77:817. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-eular.6607Zhang J, Wei Y.Reconstruction of iliac crest defect after autogenous harvest with bone cement and screws reduces donor site pain.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;19:237. doi:10.1186/s12891-018-2167-7Nemours Foundation. Teens Health.Hip Pointer.
Chahla J, Mannava S, Cinque ME, Geeslin AG, Codina D, LaPrade RF.Bone marrow aspirate concentrate harvesting and processing technique.Arthrosc Tech. 2017;6(2):e441-e445. doi:10.1016/j.eats.2016.10.024
Beahm EK, Hanasono MM, Shaneq S.Chapter 26: Iliac Flap. In:Flaps and Reconstructive Surgery. Elsevier; 2009.
Crim JR, Manaster BJ.Pelvis Overview. In:Imaging Anatomy: Musculoskeletal,Second Edition.Elsevier; 2016:486-493. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-37756-0.50038-7
Crim JR, Manaster BJ.Iliac crest. In:Imaging Anatomy: Musculoskeletal, Second Edition. Elsevier; 2016.
Duniec L, Nowakowski P, Kosson D, Łazowski T.Anatomical landmarks based assessment of intravertebral space level for lumbar puncture is misleading in more than 30%.Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2013 Jan-Mar;45(1):1-6. doi:10.5603/AIT.2013.0001
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Sports Medicine.Hip Pointers.
Todorov P, Kalcheva M, Marinkov A, et al. Low back pain due to enthesopathy of erector spine muscle: a comparative US and MRI study in patients with iliac crest pain syndrome.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases2018;77:817. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-eular.6607
Zhang J, Wei Y.Reconstruction of iliac crest defect after autogenous harvest with bone cement and screws reduces donor site pain.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;19:237. doi:10.1186/s12891-018-2167-7
Nemours Foundation. Teens Health.Hip Pointer.
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