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Gluteus minimusMusculus gluteus minimus

The smallest and deepest of the three gluteal muscles, lying under gluteus medius, that abducts and medially rotates the hip.

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LatinMusculus gluteus minimus
Origin
  • Outer surface of the ilium between the anterior and inferior gluteal lines
  • Margin of the greater sciatic notch
Insertion
  • Anterior border of the greater trochanter of the femur
  • Expansion to the capsule of the hip joint
Action
  • All fibres: abduct the hip, working with gluteus medius
  • All fibres: keep the pelvis level when standing on one leg
  • Anterior fibres: flex and medially rotate the hip
  • Helps steady the head of the femur in the hip socket
NerveSuperior gluteal nerve (L4–S1)

Palpation

  1. Client side-lying with the upper leg supported on a pillow; stand behind the client.
  2. Find the space between the front half of the iliac crest and the greater trochanter, just behind tensor fasciae latae.
  3. Sink in slowly through gluteus medius. You will not feel gluteus minimus as a separate muscle, only a deeper layer of firmness close to the bone.
  4. Ask the client to turn the knee inwards slightly (medial rotation) or lift the leg a little; feel the deep layer tighten.

Landmarks: Iliac crest · Greater trochanter · Anterior superior iliac spine

The gluteus minimus is a small fan of muscle tucked under Gluteus medius. The two share a nerve and most of their work, so in a massage routine you treat them together: anything you do to the outer hip below the Iliac crest reaches minimus through medius. Slow, sustained Compression reaches this depth better than fast strokes.

It sits further forward than gluteus medius and attaches to the front of the Greater trochanter, which is why its front fibres help turn the thigh inwards. That makes it an antagonist of the Deep hip rotators, which turn the thigh outwards from behind the joint.

Sources disagree on its rotation action. Most textbooks, and the Wikipedia infobox, say it medially rotates the thigh. The body of the Wikipedia article says it rotates the thigh inwards when the hip is flexed but outwards when the hip is extended, and the Wikipedia “Lateral rotator group” article says the opposite. Learn it as a medial rotator for now.

Techniques

  • Effleurage — Long, gliding strokes with the whole palm that spread the medium, warm the tissue and link the other strokes together.
  • Compression — Pressing straight down into a muscle with the palm, fist or forearm, holding briefly, then releasing and moving on.
  • Circular friction — Small circles made with the finger or thumb pads that move the skin over the deeper tissue without sliding, to work a specific spot.
  • Passive stretching — The therapist gently moves a relaxed limb to lengthen a muscle to a point of mild stretch and holds it there, with no effort from the client.

Works with

  • Gluteus medius — Thick, fan-shaped muscle on the outer side of the pelvis that abducts the hip and keeps the pelvis level when you stand on one leg.
  • Tensor fasciae latae — Small muscle at the front of the outer hip, just below the ASIS, that tightens the iliotibial band and helps flex, abduct and medially rotate the hip.

Opposes

  • Adductors — Group of five muscles on the inner thigh, running from the pubic bone and sitting bone to the femur and tibia, that pull the legs together.
  • Deep hip rotators — Six small, deep muscles behind the hip joint, running from the pelvis to the top of the femur, that laterally rotate the hip and steady the head of the femur in its socket.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Gluteus minimus
  2. Wikipedia: Superior gluteal nerve