Ligaments of the pelvis
Learning objectives
After completing this study unit you will be able to:
- Identify the main joints of the pelvis.
- List the main ligaments of the pelvis.
Introduction
The robust structure of the pelvic girdle is held together by important mechanical stabilizers, the ligaments of the pelvis, which provide structural support and connection of various tissues in and around the pelvis.
Pelvic ligaments can be categorized according to their associated joints and are therefore divided into the ligaments of the: lumbosacral, sacroiliac, sacrococcygeal, and pubic symphyseal joints of the pelvis.
Take a closer look at the ligaments of the pelvis in the atlas below.
Browse atlas
:watermark(/images/watermark_5000_10percent.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/overview_image/3439/qtbJRfdZMNToG96g82fA_pelvis-ligaments-anterior_english.jpg){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_5000_10percent.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/overview_image/3444/C8twp8MLlwBAQDdiRdFl4Q_pelvis-ligaments-posterior_english.jpg){kind=logo}
Take a closer look and review each structure below.
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/articulatio-lumbosacralis/ummw4HITShvTVfFk7SVOQ_Ha27BJar5p_Articulatio_lumbosacralis_1.png "Lumbosacral joint (Articulatio lumbosacralis); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/articulatio-sacroiliaca/ZzTBXyAOEp5TcstuOZbGqg_Sacroiliac_Joint_01.png "Sacroiliac joint (Articulatio sacroiliaca); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/articulatio-sacrococcygea/1E1DgP4u43h2KjS8Dxh2ZQ_NdvS6Jfqq9_Articulatio_sacrococcygea_1.png "Sacrococcygeal joint (Articulatio sacrococcygea); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/pubic-symphysis/dmt5dHyLYRfxKnhDZEFy4Q_Symphisis_pubis_02.png "Pubic symphysis (Symphysis pubica); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/anterior-longitudinal-ligament-4/gIpjcmBEZuRREoo1hevqQ_Anterior_longitudinal_ligament.png "Anterior longitudinal ligament (Ligamentum longitudinale anterius); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/iliolumbar-ligament/PuwsaJh3a5FWOTNclJzEdg_Iliolumbar_ligament.png "Iliolumbar ligament (Ligamentum iliolumbale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/lateral-lumbosacral-ligament/av8p7axxEpzvpPrmFNdA_Lateral_lumbosacral_ligament.png "Lateral lumbosacral ligament (Ligamentum lumbosacrale laterale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/anterior-sacroiliac-ligament/GxiyG7AzXz8OaNqGEJg67w_Anterior_sacroiliac_ligament.png "Anterior sacroiliac ligament (Ligamentum sacroiliacum anterius); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/sacrospinous-ligament-1/ou1lEuiesXBJ4aanBVMnfw_Sacrospinous_ligament.png "Sacrospinous ligament (Ligamentum sacrospinale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/sacrotuberous-ligament-4/jjmbrD4HJ0SV8fZ8hNMAVg_Sacrotuberous_ligament.png "Sacrotuberous ligament (Ligamentum sacrotuberale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/anterior-sacrococcygeal-ligament-1/5owgW0ifWoj3ZhYtPtf0Qw_Anterior_sacrococcygeal_ligament.png "Anterior sacrococcygeal ligament (Ligamentum sacrococcygeum anterius); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/iliopectineal-arch/656fPs7SsfZtVu76Kq0TmQ_Iliopectineal_arch_2.png "Iliopectineal arch (Arcus iliopectineus); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/superior-pubic-ligament-1/DpyxTLlaHl4TB5um5Vrmew_Superior_pubic_ligament.png "Superior pubic ligament (Ligamentum pubicum superius); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/anterior-pubic-ligament/h9MZS6b4sOmQfTQN7C6rmQ_Anterior_pubic_ligament.png "Anterior pubic ligament (Ligamentum pubicum anterius); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/inferior-pubic-ligament/juOrOfZo48VmB8yHrSeCPg_Inferior_pubic_ligament.png "Inferior pubic ligament (Ligamentum pubicum inferius); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/iliolumbar-ligament-2/Hz9HLpjvZrYo13QiCktcIQ_Iliolumbar_ligament_posterior.png "Iliolumbar ligament (Ligamentum iliolumbale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/posterior-sacroiliac-ligament/PNnSxfm88UWaS8qPeRL3g_Posterior_sacroiliac_ligaments.png "Posterior sacroiliac ligament (Ligamentum sacroiliacum posterius); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/interosseous-sacroiliac-ligament/ubcTDGfcAarRJhyRw5M2dQ_Interosseous_sacroiliac_ligament.png "Interosseous sacroiliac ligament (Ligamentum sacroiliacum interosseum); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/ligamentum-sacrotuberale/5HY8XE1htHRIgWnHYgXDA_NuXmqNAKBw_Ligamentum_sacrotuberale_1.png "Sacrotuberous ligament (Ligamentum sacrotuberale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/ligamentum-sacrospinale/BgcCg11t9NZxwdjXs3ZblQ_ESybQsth4B_Ligamentum_sacrospinale_1.png "Sacrospinous ligament (Ligamentum sacrospinale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/superficial-posterior-sacrococcygeal-ligament/91VCOOeqlwV6zUe9d5yMvQ_Superficial_posterior_sacrococcygeal_ligament.png "Superficial posterior sacrococcygeal ligament (Ligamentum sacrococcygeum posterius superficiale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/deep-posterior-sacrococcygeal-ligament/OdIBuQkZRCCQhuBl5z9gg_Deep_posterior_sacrococcygeal_ligament.png "Deep posterior sacrococcygeal ligament (Ligamentum sacrococcygeum posterius profundum); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/lateral-sacrococcygeal-ligament-2/UeKrHZ2tiAgmk3lAqFTiA_Lateral_sacrococcygeal_ligament_posterior.png "Lateral sacrococcygeal ligament (Ligamentum sacrococcygeum laterale); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/posterior-pubic-ligament/CyKlromPVkJGfgGAvvjQ_Posterior_pubic_ligament.png "Posterior pubic ligament (Ligamentum pubicum posterius); Image: Liene Znotina"){kind=logo}
Take a quiz
Let’s try and consolidate this knowledge by taking the quiz below!
If you would like to broaden your knowledge and would like to be tested on the wider anatomy of the pelvis and perineum, you can customize your own quiz and explore topics such as the neurovascular supply of the female and male pelvis.
Summary
| Lumbosacral joint | Iliolumbar ligament, lateral lumbosacral ligament |
| Sacroiliac joint | Anterior sacroiliac ligament, interosseous sacroiliac ligament, posterior sacroiliac ligament |
| Sacrococcygeal joint | Anterior sacrococcygeal ligament, superficial posterior sacrococcygeal ligament, deep posterior sacrococcygeal ligament, lateral sacrococcygeal ligament |
| Pubic symphysis | Superior pubic ligament, anterior pubic ligament, inferior pubic ligament, posterior pubic ligament |
| Nonarticular ligaments | Anterior longitudinal ligament, sacrospinous ligament, sacrotuberous ligament, iliopectineal arch, inguinal ligament |
| Function | Mechanical stabilizers of the pelvic girdle |
Well done!
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