Gluteals (Glutes) Muscle Anatomy

Location & Overview

The gluteal muscle group commonly refers to gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. These muscles occupy the posterior and lateral hip region, which is a transitional region between the trunk and the lower limb that includes the buttock and the lateral hip over the greater trochanter, the large, palpable bony prominence on the proximal femur.^[1,2,3]

Gluteus maximus is the largest and most superficial of these three muscles and forms much of the prominence of the buttock. Gluteus medius lies partly deep to gluteus maximus, while gluteus minimus lies deep to gluteus medius. The two smaller gluteal muscles pass from the outer surface of the ilium to the greater trochanter and are positioned to abduct the hip and stabilize the pelvis during walking.^[1,2]

In official terminology, these three muscles are included in the superficial gluteal muscle set. Tensor fasciae latae is also part of that official set, so the informal term glutes is useful in everyday communication but is less precise than naming the individual muscles.^[3,2]

The superior gluteal nerve and the deep branch of the superior gluteal artery travel between gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. This neurovascular plane is important because it supplies the two smaller gluteal muscles and separates their deep surfaces from the hip capsule and nearby lateral rotator muscles.^[1,2]

Origin & Insertion

Gluteus maximus has a broad posterior origin. It arises from the posterior gluteal line of the ilium, the posterior surfaces of the sacrum and coccyx, the thoracolumbar fascia, and the sacrotuberous ligament. The posterior gluteal line is one of the curved attachment lines on the outer ilium, and the sacrotuberous ligament runs from the sacrum to the ischial tuberosity. Additional aponeurotic attachments include the erector spinae aponeurosis and gluteal aponeurosis, where an aponeurosis is a broad, flat tendon-like sheet.^[1,2]

Gluteus maximus inserts mainly into the iliotibial tract and partly into the gluteal tuberosity of the femur. The iliotibial tract is the thickened lateral band of fascia lata on the outer thigh, while the gluteal tuberosity is the rough posterior femoral attachment site for deeper fibers of the muscle.^[1,2]

Anetai et al. (2025) proposed a different interpretation of the distal gluteus maximus tendon in a cadaveric study of 25 formalin-fixed Japanese cadavers. They reported that much of the superior three-quarters of the muscle formed a plate-like tendon mostly inserting on the gluteal tuberosity, with partial adhesions to the iliotibial tract. This remains a recent reinterpretation rather than the standard attachment summary, because the established anatomical description still identifies both the iliotibial tract and gluteal tuberosity as accepted insertion sites.^[4,1,2]

Gluteus medius arises from the external surface of the ilium between the anterior and posterior gluteal lines, with additional attachment to the iliac crest and gluteal aponeurosis. It inserts on the greater trochanter. Its tendon is not a single undifferentiated attachment: the posterior part attaches near the superoposterior facet, and the anterolateral part attaches toward the lateral facet of the greater trochanter.^[1,2] Tsutsumi et al. (2019) described posterior and anterolateral tendon parts in 25 human cadaveric hips, and Robertson et al. (2008) reported two distinct insertion sites on the lateral and superoposterior facets in 8 fresh-frozen cadaveric hips.^[5,6]

Gluteus minimus arises from the external surface of the ilium between the anterior and inferior gluteal lines, with a posterior attachment near the margin of the greater sciatic notch. It inserts on the anterior or anterolateral greater trochanter and sends an expansion to the capsule of the hip joint. The capsule is the fibrous sleeve around the joint, so this attachment links the muscle to both the femur and the soft-tissue covering of the hip joint.^[1,2] Beck et al. (2000) also described a capsular insertion of gluteus minimus continuing toward its greater-trochanteric insertion.^[7]

Action & Function

Gluteus maximus: Gluteus maximus is a powerful hip extensor. It is most important when the hip starts in flexion or when force is required, such as rising from sitting, climbing, running, or extending the trunk from a flexed position. With the lower limb fixed, it can extend the trunk on the thigh. It also assists lateral rotation of the thigh, weakly contributes to hip abduction, and helps stabilize the extended lower limb through its attachment to the iliotibial tract.^[1,2]

Gluteus maximus should not be treated as a constant low-level postural muscle in every standing position. It is generally less active during quiet symmetrical standing and becomes more active when the hip needs strong extension or when load and speed increase.^[1,2]

Gluteus medius and gluteus minimus: The smaller gluteal muscles abduct the thigh at the hip. Their most important everyday role is pelvic stabilization during single-limb support, such as the stance phase of walking. When one foot is on the ground and the opposite limb is swinging, gluteus medius and minimus on the stance side help prevent the pelvis from dropping on the unsupported side.^[1,2]

The anterior fibers of gluteus medius and gluteus minimus assist medial rotation of the thigh. Gluteus medius also has posterior fibers that assist lateral rotation. Posterior-fiber lateral rotation has been described for the smaller gluteal muscles, but as a whole-muscle description, these muscles are best summarized as hip abductors and pelvic stabilizers, with rotation depending on fiber region and hip position.^[1,2] Flack et al. (2012) reviewed hip abductor anatomy and reported that the abductor muscles have important roles in pelvic stabilisation and hip rotation, while also noting limits in the available anatomical evidence.^[8] Gottschalk et al. (1989) described functional differences within tensor fasciae latae, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus during gait, supporting caution when reducing these muscles to a single action label.^[9]

Innervation

Gluteus maximus is innervated by the inferior gluteal nerve. Root values for the inferior gluteal nerve are commonly listed as L5, S1, and S2, although some anatomy summaries include L4-S2 as the root range. The named nerve remains the key anatomical feature. This nerve enters the gluteal region through the greater sciatic foramen inferior to piriformis and supplies the deep surface of gluteus maximus.^[1,2]

Gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are innervated by the superior gluteal nerve, with root values L4, L5, and S1. The superior gluteal nerve enters the gluteal region superior to piriformis and runs between gluteus medius and gluteus minimus before continuing toward tensor fasciae latae.^[1,2,10]

Pinho et al. (2023) examined 20 human cadaveric hemipelvises and found that the superior gluteal nerve entered the greater sciatic foramen as a common trunk in 75% and was already divided in 25%. That variation affects the branching pattern around the greater sciatic foramen, but it does not change the core innervation pattern: superior gluteal nerve for gluteus medius and minimus, and inferior gluteal nerve for gluteus maximus.^[10,1,2]

Blood Supply

The gluteal muscles receive arterial supply from the superior and inferior gluteal arteries. Gluteus maximus is supplied by the inferior and superior gluteal arteries. The inferior gluteal artery is usually the dominant pedicle for gluteus maximus, supplying about two-thirds of the muscle, although the superior gluteal artery can be dominant in some individuals.^[1,2]

Gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are supplied mainly by the superior gluteal artery, especially its deep branch. This branch runs between gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, matching the plane used by the superior gluteal nerve.^[1,2]

Near the femoral attachments, the distal parts of gluteus medius and gluteus minimus also receive contributions from the trochanteric anastomosis. An anastomosis is a connection between arteries, and the trochanteric anastomosis helps supply the tissue around the greater trochanter.^[1]