Differences Between Female and Male Pelvic Bones

Differences Between Female and Male Pelvic Bones

The pelvis is part of the body that communicates between the trunk and the lower extremities in humans—made of the two hip bones, sacrum, and coccyx. It transmits weight from the upper body to both lower limbs to ensure stability (Hwang et al., 2021). In addition, it houses some organs, including reproductive organs and part of the intestines. Thirdly, it serves as a sphincteric control since it forms attachments for muscles that control the opening of the urethra and rectum, thereby preventing leakage of feces and urine (Quaghebeur et al., 2021). Fourthly, it has a sexual function since the pelvic floor muscles facilitate orgasm. Fifthly, the sacrum transmits cauda equina, giving origin to nerves supplying the pelvis. Lastly, it helps in circulation since the muscles form a ‘sump pump’ that facilitates floor of blood to the heart. Hire our assignment writing services in case your assignment is devastating you.

There are many differences between the male and female pelvis because of the differences in the functions they are meant to serve. First, the male pelvis is narrower and smaller, while the female pelvis is wider to create more room (Fischer et al., 2021). Secondly, the acetabulum in males is larger, while that in females is smaller. The acetabulum is part of the hip bone that forms a point of articulation with the femur. Additionally, they are wider apart and face more medially in females than males. However, the acetabulum in females has a greater depth and is more forward-oriented.

Thirdly, a male pelvis has a narrower sciatic notch, while a female one is more comprehensive (Mohr et al., 2021). A sciatic notch is formed between the ischial spine and the posterior inferior iliac spine on the ilium bone. The notch is turned into a greater sciatic foramen by the sacrospinous ligament. It forms a passage for the superior gluteal nerve, which supplies gluteus medius, tensor fascia lata, and gluteus minimus. The pelvic inlet in males is heart-shaped, while that of females is slightly oval. The pelvic inlet is a part of the pelvis that separates the abdominal and pelvic cavities. Fifthly, a female pelvis has a less curved, wider, and shorter sacrum, while males have a narrower and longer sacrum. The sacrum is located distal to the lumbar vertebrae and forms the posterior wall of the pelvis. Besides, the coccyx in the male pelvis is immovable and projects inwards; in females, it is straighter and flexible to create more space for expansion during delivery.

Moreover, the pelvic bone in males is thicker, heavier, and longer, while it is denser and thicker in females. Lastly, the pubic arch in a male pelvis is V-shaped, while a female is wider. It forms an angle of 90 degrees in females and 70 degrees in males. The fusion makes the pubic arch of the two hip bones, each comprised of ischium, ilium, and pubis.

The above differences are due to the difference in functions between both sexes. In females, the pelvis is wider to create room for housing and passage of the baby during childbirth. The shape of the pelvis is an essential factor during delivery, whether it is a cesarean section or a spontaneous vaginal delivery. On the other hand, in males, the pelvis serves the function of supporting the heavy body build made of strong muscles. Sex differences are also significant in planning orthopedic surgeries preoperatively.

References

Fischer, B., Grunstra, N. D., Zaffarini, E., & Mitteroecker, P. (2021). Sex differences in the pelvis did not evolve de novo in modern humans. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 5(5), 625-630.

Hwang, U. J., Lee, M. S., Jung, S. H., Ahn, S. H., & Kwon, O. Y. (2021). Relationship between sexual function and pelvic floor and hip muscle strength in women with stress urinary incontinence. Sexual medicine, 9(2), 100325-100325.

Mohr, M., Pieper, R., Löffler, S., Schmidt, A. R., & Federolf, P. A. (2021). Sex-specific hip movement is correlated with the pelvis and upper body rotation while running—Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 9, 657357.

Quaghebeur, J., Petros, P., Wyndaele, J. J., & De Wachter, S. (2021). Pelvic-floor function, dysfunction, and treatment. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 265, 143-149.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

Describe the differences between the female and male pelvic bones and the reasons they are different. Here is a good source: http://www.differencebetween.net/science/difference-between-female-pelvis-and-male-pelvis/Links to an external site.

Differences Between Female and Male Pelvic Bones

Lecture Notes Week 8
Slide 3

Welcome to week 8! We will be learning about the lower extremities of the human body in this lesson. This will include the structures of the hip, pelvis, thigh, upper leg, lower leg, knee, ankle, feet and toes. This is the part of the body that many people obsess over in terms of losing weight, getting toned, strengthening muscles, and avoiding injury. A lot of amazing things happen in the lower body too, such as procreation and the ability to walk upright — a feat our human ancestors took hundreds of thousands of years to figure out.

Slide 4

Let’s start with the pelvis area of the body and the various structures you should know about. The pelvis is made up of a group of bones that provide support to the lower body. It is also considered to be the center of gravity for most people.

The posterior aspect of the pelvis is the sacrum, the five sacral vertebrae fused together to form the lumbar spine and tailbone. On both sides of the sacrum are two large bones often referred to as the innominate bones. Actually, each innominate bone is three separate bones that have fused together: the ilium, the ischium, and the pubic bone. The ilium bones articulate with the sacrum posteriorly, and the pubic bones articulate with each other at the pubic symphysis to form the pelvis.

Did you know that male and female pelvises have differences to allow for childbearing by the female? The female pelvis is proportionally wider and flatter and is tilted forward to a greater degree to allow for this function.

Slide 5

The ligaments provide a strong yet flexible connection for the bones of the pelvis. Most of the ligaments are named after the corresponding bony structure they are attached. The iliolumbar ligament runs between the fifth lumbar vertebra and the crest of the ilium. Two ligaments articulate the sacrum with the ilium: the anterior sacroiliac and the posterior sacroiliac. The anterior sacroiliac ligament runs between the anterior surface of the sacrum and the anterior surface of the ilium. The posterior sacroiliac ligament has three sections: the short sacroiliac, the long sacroiliac, and the interosseous.

Slide 6

The hip bones (one on either side of the pelvis) are vital for movement and travel as a human. The acetabulum is considered the socket of the joint, and the ball of the hip joint is the structure known as the head of the femur. Although the hip joint and the shoulder joint are often compared because of their similarities as ball-and-socket or triaxial joints, the hip joint is a much more stable joint than the shoulder because of the depth of the acetabulum compared with the very shallow glenoid fossa of the scapula. It is through the hip joint that the entire weight of the trunk and upper extremities is transferred to the lower extremities. Additionally, there are seven ligaments in the hip joint.

The hip joint is classified as a triaxial joint, having movement in all three planes about all three axes: flexion and extension in the sagittal plane about a frontal horizontal axis, abduction, and adduction in the frontal plane about a sagittal horizontal axis, and internal and external rotation in the horizontal plane about a vertical axis. The musculature that creates those six fundamental movements includes flexors, extensors, abductors, adductors, and rotators. They are presented in groups based on their position: anterior, posterior, lateral, or medial to the hip joint.

Slide 7

The muscles that control the hips and upper leg are located anterior to the hip joint. They are made up of the iliopsoas muscle, which is a combination of the iliacus and psoas major muscles. These muscles, along with the psoas minor, are commonly referred to as the true groin muscles (or hip flexor muscle group). The Psoas major muscle originates on the transverse processes of all five lumbar vertebrae and the bodies and intervertebral discs of the 12th thoracic vertebra and all five lumbar vertebrae. It assists with the rotation of the hip.

Slide 8

The upper leg is made up of the femur bone, the largest bone in the human body. This weight-supporting structure connects to the hips and knees. Very often, patients complain of having pulled their “hamstring” and this is the area where this originates. There are three muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus) that could be strained as a result of hip hyperflexion or knee hyperextension or, more likely, a combination of both hip flexion and knee extension. Flexibility is a major factor in preventing hamstring strains because many athletic activities require the hip joint to flex at the same time the knee joint is extending, which puts this muscle group under tension.

Slide 9

The knee sits just below the medial and lateral epicondylar ridge of the femur bone, similar to those in the humerus just proximal to the elbow joint. Three bones meet to form your knee joint: your thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella).

Multiple muscles and tendons work together to create movement in the knee.

Slide 10

The lower leg is made up of the tibia and fibula bones. Because of the sizes and shapes of the femoral condyles and the soft tissue configurations, when the knee flexes and extends, the lower leg (tibia and fibula) rotates. When the knee extends, the leg externally rotates. When the knee flexes, the leg internally rotates.

Slide 11

The 26 bones of the foot are usually separated into three distinct segments: the forefoot(19), the midfoot (5), and the hindfoot (2). The forefoot consists of 14 phalanges: three per toe (proximal, middle, and distal phalanges), except for the great toe, which has only a proximal and a distal phalanx. The phalanges and the metatarsal bone of the first, or great, toe are larger than those of the other four toes (second, middle, fourth, and little) for a specific purpose. When the foot bears the weight of the body, as in walking, the great toe must bear most of the weight.

The remaining seven bones of the foot are collectively known as the tarsal bones. Five of these tarsal bones (the cuboid, the navicular, and the medial, intermediate, and lateral cuneiforms) make up the midfoot, and the remaining two tarsal bones (talus and calcaneus) make up the hindfoot.

Slide 12

There are also many tendons in the foot and ankle. The ankle is not really a single well-defined joint like many other articulations throughout the human body. Some authors call it the ankle joint complex because there is more than one joint where the movement we commonly refer to as ankle joint motion takes place. The ligaments of the foot can be divided into five groups: the intertarsal ligaments, the tarsometatarsal ligaments, the intermetatarsal ligaments, the metatarsophalangeal ligaments, and the interphalangeal ligaments.

Slide 13

The foot contains four distinct layers of muscle fibers, with most found on the plantar area (inside of the arch). This video helps to explain the groups of muscles in the foot.

Reading Assignment:
Chapter 11
Behnke, R. S., & Plant, J. (2021). Kinetic Anatomy (4th ed.). Human Kinetics Publishers. https://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781718201446

Weblinks Week 8
Below are links to resources that will complement the material covered this week.

Anatomy of the Lower Leg – Everything You Need to Know –
Anatomy Of The Lower Leg – Everything You Need To Know – Dr. Nabil EbraheimLinks to an external site.