As the primary link between the trunk and the lower limb, the hip joint plays an important role in the generation and transmission of forces during routine activities of daily living and athletic activities alike. This joint is characterized by an extraordinary amount of inherent bony stability, with differences in osseous anatomy significantly impacting the biomechanical properties of the human hip. These biomechanical principles have important implications relative to the diagnosis and surgical treatment of structural hip abnormalities, and the physical demands placed on the hip joint during athletic activities may predispose to injury or other chronic pathologic processes.