Gluteus medius (Musculus gluteus medius)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
A thick fan under gluteus maximus from the outer ilium to the greater trochanter — the standard safe intramuscular injection site in the buttock and the "pelvis holder" of every single-leg step.
Origin & insertion
External iliac surface between the anterior and posterior gluteal lines and the fascia.
Action
Abducts the thigh and prevents pelvic drop in single-leg stance; its failure produces the lurching Trendelenburg gait.
Innervation
Superior gluteal nerve (L4–S1).
Clinical notes
The superior gluteal vessels exit above it in the upper outer buttock — the safe injection triangle below the iliac crest avoids both nerve and vessels.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Gluteus medius?
A thick fan under gluteus maximus from the outer ilium to the greater trochanter — the standard safe intramuscular injection site in the buttock and the "pelvis holder" of every single-leg step.
Why is the Gluteus medius clinically important?
The superior gluteal vessels exit above it in the upper outer buttock — the safe injection triangle below the iliac crest avoids both nerve and vessels.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details