Anatomical Structure And Location Of Anterior Superior Iliac Spine Of The Hip Bone

Description

Anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) projects from the anterolateral margin of the ilium at the anterior end of the iliac crest, forming a blunt, palpable bony prominence on the pelvis. Inferior to the ASIS, the anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS) sits on the anterior border of the ilium, while the iliac crest sweeps posteriorly and medially toward the posterior superior iliac spine. From this fixed anterior-lateral viewpoint, the ASIS is emphasized as the point where the crest turns forward, with the ilium’s outer (gluteal) surface lying lateral and the pelvic brim and iliac fossa lying more medial and deep. Easy to palpate. Clinically, the ASIS functions as a surface landmark that anchors multiple attachments: the inguinal ligament spans from ASIS to the pubic tubercle, the sartorius originates at the ASIS, and the tensor fasciae latae arises just lateral to it along the anterior iliac crest and iliac tubercle region. That makes this region central to sports medicine, where apophysitis and avulsion fractures of the ASIS occur in adolescents after sprinting or kicking, and to peripheral nerve assessment because the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve typically passes near the ASIS under or through the inguinal ligament, a common entrapment site in meralgia paresthetica. The focused isolation of the projection and adjacent iliac crest helps correlate palpation findings with attachment anatomy and explains why pain here can reflect tendon traction, ligament strain, or nerve irritation rather than intra-articular hip pathology. Use this illustration in gross anatomy and surface anatomy teaching, orthopedic and sports medicine texts covering pelvic apophyseal injuries, and clinical skills materials that teach landmark-based examination and procedural planning in the groin and lateral hip. It also suits radiology education when correlating tenderness at the ASIS with pelvic radiographs or CT demonstrating cortical irregularity, fragmentation, or avulsed apophyseal fragments. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.