The hip is the area where the thigh meets the pelvis, and some patients refer to this area as the span or greater span. Patients can simply understand that the hip is the area around the hip joint. The hip joint is a very large and mobile joint on the left and right side of the hip. The patient can locate the area where the hip belongs by doing the following. First, the patient can find two very distinct bony prominences, one on each side of the hip near the base of the thigh. This area is known as the greater trochanter of the femur. Up the greater trochanter all the way to the iliac wing, the area where the belt normally snaps, this part of the area belongs to the hip. Sometimes the area between 5 and 10 cm below the greater trochanter is also clinically classified as the hip, so the area referred to by the hip is relatively large. This area has a very thick muscular cover and deep within it are important blood vessels, nerves and the hip joint.